Talk Me Down
by LondonaLozzy
Summary: SEQUEL TO CATCH ME. Dr Connors rampage through New York has flipped Lauren's life upside down. Not only does she have to deal with the physical and mental scars, but also the break down of her relationship with a certain Peter Parker. Will a new threat bring them back together or will it only serve in keeping them apart for good? Peter/OC (TASM 2 movieverse)
1. Chapter 1

**AUTHOR NOTE –**

Hi guys, long time no type.

I am so sorry it has taken me an eternity to get started on this. I've been wracking my brain for months about how I can work Lauren into the plot for the second movie. Now that I have a rough idea, I'm getting started.

If this is your initial visit to one of my works then firstly hello. Secondly, please be aware that this is a sequel to another story I have done called Catch Me. I highly recommend reading that first, because without doing so you won't really know what's going on.

The story will follow the timeline/plot (kinda) of The Amazing Spider-Man 2. You know, the one that starred the ever delectable Andrew Garfield. Other than that the story could take us anywhere. Just hold on tight and enjoy the ride.

Here we go...

 **Talk Me Down – Chapter 1**

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So it's been six months. Six months since Captain Stacy was killed by Connors. Six months since my last night of unbroken sleep. Six months since I was scarred for life. And six months since Peter and I admitted our feelings for one another and broke up on the very same day.

In short, it's pretty safe to say I've been living in my own personal hell for the last 180 odd days.

After all the Connors stuff went down and after me and Pete broke up, I promised myself that I wouldn't let it beat me. I vowed that I was going to get on with my life, I was going to move forward, I was going to be happy and I was going to get over Peter Parker. As the old saying goes, easier said than done.

The first thing I did once I was healed up, on my feet again and actually able to leave the house without bursting into tears was to go down to Oscorp and hand in my resignation. I had a supportive Aunt Penny holding my hand the whole way there and I had no doubt it was the right decision. Who knows? Maybe I will end up working for them or someone like them again. Right now though, I just couldn't. I needed time for me.

As far as Pete goes, well that's just been a nightmare. I had every intention of ignoring his existence completely, a clean break. In theory it was a good idea, but when the person in question is fricking Spider-Man then it's pretty hard to get away. I didn't just have to deal with seeing him in school, in the street outside our houses or hearing Aunt Penny and May Parker talking about us both all the time. I also had to deal with seeing him on the front cover of every newspaper in the city, on the news and pretty much everywhere else. It also didn't help that I was still completely in love with him.

Don't get me wrong, we've shared the odd word here and there, a look in each other's direction every now and then. There would be times when Pete's Aunt May would ask him to drop something off at my house and I'd answer the door, or occasions when my Aunt Penny would coincidentally drag me along to the grocery store with her when May had done exactly the same with Peter. I have a seriously strong suspicion that those two are trying to get us back together. Shame it'll never work.

The one good thing that has come out of all the rubbish is my relationship with Gwen. We've grown even closer than we were already. All the time I used to spend with Pete I now spend with her. I think after everything that happened we both just needed someone to cling to. We'd kind of gone through it together so it was only natural that we latched on to one another.

Now enough of all this wallowing in self pity. I better just plaster on a smile and get on with it. Today is probably the best day to start anyway. It is graduation after all.

"Aunt Penny? Can you just come and put some of my cream on my shoulder? I don't want to get it in my hair." I shouted from my bedroom, out to the landing.

"Sure honey," she said in her forced sing song voice. She'd been using that a lot lately.

"Sweetie, the cream is definitely working. Your scar has improved so much since we've been using it. In a year's time I doubt you'll even be able to see it."

"Now that is a joke. Have you seen the state of my arm? Summer's coming up and I'm going to be the only person in the city wearing sweaters. It's disgusting." Do these scar creams really do anything?

The scar that ran along the top half of my arm and over my shoulder blade was a constant reminder of the attack on the Oscorp roof. Aunt Penny said it was a symbol of how close she came to losing me and how lucky she is that I'm still here. To me it's completely different. I'll have the odd moment when I'm not thinking about it. I'll get distracted by a TV show, homework or by a gossip column discussing the likes of Khloe Kardashian's new killer figure. For a second, a few minutes sometimes I'd be content, at rest. Then I'd walk past a mirror, catch a glimpse of my arm in the reflection and it would all come back. I just wanted it gone. I just wanted to forget.

"Nonsense. I promise you sweetheart, the scar will fade. Trust me?"

"Okay, if you say so." I pulled my Aunt into a hug and made a mental promise that I was going to snap myself out of this today and try to actually enjoy my graduation.

A couple of hours later, I was dressed, my hair was done and my make up was on. I was wearing a gorgeous skirt and blouse and was as ready as I'd ever be. All thanks to Gwen and her off the cuff visit to help me get ready. I have to admit, I actually looked good. The best I've looked since before...never mind.

"Peter's eyes are going to bulge out of his head." Gwen joked as we made our way downstairs to my Aunt and her awaiting camera.

"Do you really have to mention him today?" I answered with a roll of the eyes.

"He's going to be there whether you want him to or not. You can't avoid him forever."

"I've been doing a pretty good job so far."

"Well, whatever. Just hold your head high, smile and enjoy it. Just ignore him."

"Sounds like a plan."

After what felt like an entire day on its own, Aunt Penny was finally done taking pictures of Gwen and I. Chances are they wouldn't be the last ones.

Gwen took a cab back to her place before we were due to be at the East River Park Amphitheater where the graduation ceremony was being held. Her Mum wanted to undertake her own photo call. That just left me and Aunt Penny.

"So are you ready sweetheart?" My overly emotional Aunt questioned with a tear in her eye, gripping on to my hands.

"As ready as I'll ever be I guess."

"I'm so sorry your parents aren't here to see this." She sniffled.

"As long as you're here with me Aunt Penny, that's all that matters. I wouldn't have gotten through the last year without you." I said with tears threatening to fall. She really was my saviour.

"Nuh uh. You stop that right now missy. No more of that sentimental stuff. I don't want any crying ruining our makeup. Deal?"

"Deal."

A little while later I was at East River Park surrounded by a sea of royal blue, hundreds of my classmates taking their seats whilst dressed in their compulsory cloaks and caps. Once I'd found my seat I took my place and scanned the crowd to see where Gwen was. She was this year's valedictorian and I know she was nervous. I just wanted her to know I was there supporting her. Once I'd found her, I sent an animated wave her way so she could see where I was situated.

Looking over at all the families I quickly spotted Aunt Penny pointing her camera in my direction and with a massive, proud grin on her face. Next was May Parker, who sat down next to my Aunt. She didn't look so happy though. In fact, she was the complete opposite.

Taking note of that, my gaze flicked back to the students and my mission now was to find Peter. I located his seat within seconds. It was just a shame that he wasn't in it. Where was he? It was due to start any minute.

I didn't know what to do. I was supposed to be ignoring him, getting on with MY day. I shouldn't be worrying about where Pete was. I couldn't help it though. He should be here. He has to be here.

Not wasting any time, I quickly pulled my phone from the pocket in my skirt and dialled Peter's number. I assumed it was the same. I mean I hadn't called it in so long.

Pete and I hadn't spoken more than the select word here or there in such a long time and with each ring I was getting more nervous about what I would say. I was getting ready to give up. Just as I was about to pull the phone away from my ear, someone answered. Peter answered.

"Lauren?" Pete answered with hesitation.

"Pete? Hi. Where are you? It's graduation." Thank god he spoke first.

"Ummmm, I'm on my way. Just got held up. I'll be there. 5, 10 minutes tops." Why was he shouting? Were those sirens?

"You're saving the day again aren't you?"

"If you want to call it that."

"Just be careful and get here please." I begged in a whisper. I was starting to gain unwanted attention from people around me. I suppose it was kind of disrespectful being on your cell whilst a graduation was getting under way.

"Why do you care so much whether I'm there or not?" He questioned with what seemed like sincere interest. Knowing him, probably pinned to the front of a truck or something whilst asking it.

"It's graduation. The biggest day of our lives so far. It doesn't feel right that you're not here right now. I want you here Pete. I need you here."

"I'm on my way."

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 **Phew! I always think the first chapter is the hardest. It's the one that draws people in. I know it's pretty short, and I promise the others will be a lot longer. This one was more of an establishing chapter to refresh the first story in everyone's minds.**

 **Let me know what you all think, and I promise I'll update as soon as I can.**


	2. Chapter 2

**AUTHOR NOTE –**

Thanks for the great response so far everybody. So nice to see that everyone is happy I'm now working on the sequel. It's definitely been a long time coming.

OH MY GOD! Have you seen the newest trailer for Captain America: Civil War? The Spider-Man cameo at the end was epic. I'm so excited to see it. Hopefully he'll be in it in such a way that I can work the characters from this story into it somehow. We'll see. I am a lifelong Andrew Garfield loyalist though, so Tom Holland has got a pretty tough job on his hands to please me lol!

Anyway back to my version of Spidey.

Enjoy :D

 **Talk Me Down – Chapter 2**

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"I'd like to introduce an extraordinary young lady. This year's valedictorian, please welcome, Gwen Stacy."

I was so proud watching Gwen walk up on stage to deliver her speech. She'd been through so much these last few months and she deserved her shining moment more than any other. I only wish the Captain had been here to see it. A massive grin spread across my face as she began. She'd been so nervous. I lost count of the time we'd spent going over it, changing lines here and there. This speech had become a joint project, and I was so happy that she got to read out the final product.

"COME ON GWEN." I couldn't help calling out in pride, earning a roll of the eyes from the lady of the moment.

"Good morning esteemed faculty and families of my fellow graduates. It's an honour to be standing up here today. I know that we all think we're immortal, we're supposed to feel that way, we're graduating. The future is and should be bright, but, like our brief four years in high school, what makes life valuable is that it doesn't last forever. What makes it precious is that it ends. I know that now more than ever. And I say it today of all days to remind us that time is luck. So don't waste it living someone else's life, make yours count for something. Fight for what matters to you, no matter what. Because even if you fall short, what better way is there to live?"

You could hear a pin drop. Each person there was gripped to every single word. The heart of it was that you shouldn't take life for granted. Live it to the full and live it for you. What makes you happy? What matters?

Thinking over it all in my head, as Gwen took a deep breath before continuing, I started to mentally ask those questions of myself. What mattered to me? What made me happy? Do you know what? I wasn't so sure anymore. I needed a sign.

"It's easy to feel hopeful on a beautiful day like today, but there will be dark days ahead of us too. There will be days where you feel all alone, and that's when hope is needed most.  
No matter how buried it gets or how lost you feel, you must promise me that you will hold on to hope. Keep it alive. We have to be greater than what we suffer. My wish for you is to become hope. People need that. And even if we fail, what better way is there to live?

As we look around here today at all the people who helped make us who we are, I know it feels like we're saying goodbye. But we will carry a piece of each other into everything we do next. To remind us of who we are, and of we are meant to be. I've had a great 4 years with you. I'll miss you all very much."

I'd never been prouder of anyone in my entire life. Well apart from when Pete saved that little boy on the bridge, and when Pete rescued the city from a mutant lizard hell bent on destroying us all, but you get what I mean.

The standing ovation and applause that Gwen received after her speech was unlike anything I'd heard or seen before. It was deafening and I couldn't be happier for her.

There was one thing missing though, one aspect that stopped the moment being completely perfect. Peter still wasn't there. I realised it half way through the second part of the speech when I'd turned my head to look at Gwen's family. I wanted to see the look on her Mum's face. It was the first time I've seen her truly smile since she lost her husband, the Captain. When I was turning back, I spotted Peter's empty chair again, a stark white in what was a blanket of blue. You couldn't miss it. It stood out like poop on snow. I know, crap analogy. No pun intended.

15 minutes had now passed and Pete still wasn't there. He told me 10 minutes tops. I don't know why it bothered me so much. I just knew that I wouldn't be happy until I could see him. I didn't want to graduate without him watching.

As the teachers were running through everybody's names to go up on stage and collect their certificates, I knew my turn was coming up soon. Luckily for me, they didn't do it in alphabetical order. If they had, me being Lauren Adams would have meant it would be over already.

Annoyingly my moment had come and I only had one thing on my mind. Where the hell was he? So much for this being MY day like I planned it to be. Yet gain it had turned into a thinking about Spider-Parker fest. This was going to ruin my entire life.

"Lauren Adams"

I slowly walked up the steps and towards the podium, taking a quick glance in my Aunt Penny's direction. She looked so happy, so proud. Her camera was practically glued to her hand as she recorded the whole thing. Even May Parker looked really pleased and happy watching me. No doubt she had been wondering the same things as me throughout the ceremony, but she wasn't letting it show. I decided in that moment watching her that I wouldn't either. I was going to enjoy this, smile through this. It was my moment, and nobody, not even Peter 'most annoying, self centred, waste of the last year of my life' Parker was going to ruin it for me.

Taking my certificate, I shook the teacher's hand, Dr. Jallings it was and thanked him for what was educationally a pretty great year for me. How that happened with everything that went on mostly outside of school I will never know.

It was in the next moment, when I'd taken my hand out of Dr. Jallings and then reached out to Gwen for our own little unique and very girly fist bump, that a cheer from the crowd caught my attention. A cheer from someone I had wanted to hear more than anything.

"GO LAUREN! WOO HOO!"

I turned quickly on the spot and had no doubt on where exactly I needed to look. Standing there, right in front of his chair was Mr Peter Parker. I'd been mentally moaning about him through the entire ceremony, but now looking at him as he beamed up at me, all those thoughts faded into nothing. Right then I was just happy, I was content. Yeah Pete and I hadn't properly spoken in coming up to 6 months, and of course there was a lot of pretty messy history there. But at the end of the day, even after all that time, he was the only person who could flip my mood like that. One second I was disheartened, not into it. The next, bursting with joy and feeling the best that I'd felt in god knows how long. I think it's pretty safe to say he had me trapped in his web good and proper. I was done for.

Once the ceremony was done, everybody congregated on the huge lawn which was overlooked by the Williamsburg Bridge. It was breathtaking.

"Oh sweetie, you looked so beautiful up there. I think I got enough pictures." Aunt Penny literally squealed after finding me in the crowd and throwing herself at me.

"I'm pretty certain you've got more than enough pictures Aunt Pen." I couldn't help giggling into her hair as she squeezed me tight.

"Don't be ridiculous. I need lots more."

"Why? Aren't you bored of taking the same shot over and over again?"

"Listen honey, it's not every day your favourite person in the world gets to graduate from high school. I'm taking advantage."

"You can say that again."

After what felt like a lifetime of having my picture taken, it was a dead camera battery that finally came to my rescue. I have to admit though, by the end it was getting pretty fun. She'd dragged Gwen over and got her in the pictures as well. We were so fed up with it after a while that we started pulling stupid faces in every single shot, resulting in us bursting into fits of laughter. Sufficed to say, Aunt Penny was not pleased. Not pleased at all.

I was stupid, completely and utterly stupid. Did I really think just because Aunt Penny's camera died that I was getting out of having more lenses shoved in my face at some point today? If I did, then I was seriously wrong.

Gwen got taken off by her Mom to have family snaps and Aunt Penny was now busy schmoozing with the faculty about me. It was then, as I had the first seconds peace of the day that I realised I still hadn't talked to Pete. I'd practically shouted at him down the phone to get here. I'd nearly ruined my whole day by over thinking it all. Now he was here, and I hadn't even gone to say hello. That I have to fix.

"Oh Peter, I am so proud of you." I heard May say as I walked up behind them.

First thing I noticed was that Pete wasn't exactly dressed up for the occasion. He was wearing sneakers, shorts and a white thrasher magazine t-shirt. Hey, I got him that. I suppose I can let it slide then. I guess it beats him turning up in Spidey mode. That would not be good.

"Hey." I called out behind Pete, causing him to turn and awkwardly grin in my direction. Yep, that whole 'I broke up with you even though I love you so now it's just weird' vibe still evident in the air.

"Oh Lauren sweetie, congratulations. You look stunning." May greeted, pulling me into a brief but tight hug. I loved her.

"Thanks. You look beautiful." I smiled widely, then shifting my attention to the youngest Parker.

"You cut it a bit fine there, didn't you Peter?" Scolding him with my eyes as I settled at his side.

"I uh, lost track of time. I got here when I needed to though." He smirked knowingly.

"I guess that's what really matters." I couldn't help smiling up at him, rolling my eyes at the same time.

Taking my gaze off Pete, I looked over at May and noticed she was staring into nothing. Something was on her mind.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"Oh I'm just being silly." She laughed with a tremble, when she realised I'd been speaking to her.

"I was thinking I know exactly what Ben would say if he was here right now."

"Yeah, I know too." Pete voiced with an emotional grin.

"Yeah?" May ask, challenging him.

"You better hurry up. The party is over. You've got to get a job." He acted out in his best Ben Parker voice. It wasn't that bad to be fair.

"Alright, alright. I know the second thing he would say."

"Oh really?" Pete asked. They were having a play now. It was nice to see. It was rare that they could talk about Ben without getting sad.

"Yeah he would say, don't just follow the path, make your own trail."

"Ralph Waldo Emerson?" Pete and I questioned at the same time, both of us trying to hold in a burst of laughter as we did so.

"Ben told me he made it up." She looked shocked to say the least. Well that was before we all broke into hysterics. I will never forget the look on her face in that moment. I could picture it now, if Ben was here. She would have grabbed Pete's certificate, whacked Ben upside the back of the head with it and shouted out "Parker, I swear to god if you lie to me again".

"I wish he was here. He should be with you right now. It's not fair." I voiced out, getting both of their attention.

"He is here, and your parents. Both of you know that right? They are looking down on you." May tried to push.

"I hope mine aren't. If they were they'd only be shouting down what a giant disappointment I am, and how I sent them to early graves." I answered with a kind of angry snigger. To be honest, if they were alive I doubt they would have even bothered turning up.

"I'm sure that's not true sweetie."

"You didn't know my parents."

"Lauren, think about it though." Pete asked, drawing my attention.

"What?"

"If your parents hadn't of died, you would never have moved to New York. We wouldn't have met. You wouldn't be standing here right now."

"I never thought of it that way."

"Every cloud has a silver lining huh?" He smiled warmly, wrapping his arm around my shoulder as he did so.

"Pretty great silver lining." Why were my eyes stuck staring into his? The air around us suddenly grew very thick. And I'm pretty sure that if we had been on our own, then that whole not being a couple anymore thing would have been seriously quashed.

Only seconds must have passed, but it felt like ages. We were still looking right at each other and Pete still had his arm wrapped around me. We couldn't be standing any closer if we tried. If I was in any doubt that Pete did have feelings for me still, then I was no longer worried. Just the way he looked at me proved that he did. I knew because, it was how I looked at him.

"Right don't move a muscle you two. Do you hear me? Not a muscle." May blurted out, breaking us from our little moment, when a camera click suddenly went off.

"Aunt May. Are you serious? No more pictures please." Pete sighed, stepping slightly away from me and attempting to cover his face with his certificate.

"Don't be silly. I don't have any of you and Lauren together. Now stand together and smile. Do as you're told Peter Parker."

"We might as well do it. Be happy Aunt Penny's camera died, or we'd be going through this twice over. Think yourself lucky."

"I guess you're right. I suppose if I'm going to be standing here all afternoon taking pictures with anyone then I'm glad it's you." Pete admitted, giving in finally and actually starting to enjoy it.

First came the obligatory, holding your certificates whilst showing off your pearly whites shots. Then it was the, big grin, look how excited we are to finally be finished with school snaps. Lastly it was the, we've really had enough of this, let's just goof around and pull faces at the camera pics. I'd now done this with Pete and Gwen. I couldn't wait to see the funny ones.

Another hour had passed before the crowd began to disperse and go their separate ways. I'd spent the last 60 minutes with Pete, May, Aunt Penny and Gwen, just laughing, smiling and genuinely just having a really great time. I wish everyday could be like this. These were my favourite people in the whole world. It was then, that the question I asked myself earlier during Gwen's speech finally gave me an answer. The answer to what matters? What makes me happy? It's them. They are what matters. They are what make me happy.

It's just a shame that it can never last.

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 **Fave, follow, REVIEW! You know the drill lol xxx**


	3. Chapter 3

**AUTHOR NOTE –**

Seriously, this must be the best reaction I've had to a story so early on. After only 2 chapters I have received a crazy amount of follows and faves. What I am lacking though is the ever elusive review. I know, sometimes you just want to read the damn thing and then move on. I must admit, I do exactly the same. When you're writing them though, you realise how much a sentence or two from a reader can really push you to carry on. It honestly does work. I'm trying my hardest to get these chapters out as quick as I can, what with real life things like my job and personal life having to fit in somewhere. A couple of reviews would honestly, really spur on my enthusiasm. Get them in peeps. I love them.

Just so you know, I am trying something new. I haven't done this before. My favourite reviewer for each chapter will get a shout out on the next author's note. I'll be doing this for the whole story from now on.

Hope you all like this next instalment x

 **Talk Me Down – Chapter 3**

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Gwen's Mum had invited me and Pete to join their family for Dim Sum at the famous Nom Wah Tea Parlor in Chinatown after graduation. I was excited to go, and miraculously Peter agreed to go as well. I'd been sure he'd use any excuse to get out of it. The last 6 months he hadn't even wanted to talk to me, never mind go out for dinner with not only me, but the family of the man whose death he felt responsible for.

If I could describe the whole thing in one word, it would most definitely be awkward. Don't get me wrong, it started off ok. In fact it was pretty good. We'd talked about college, our plans for the future, our plans for the summer even. It was when comments like "I wish was your Dad here Gwen" or "how's your arm healing up Lauren?" that the atmosphere got a little more tense.

Pete had been quiet all the way through. He'd offer the odd sentence here and there, but nothing more. After the turn in conversation though, he just gave up, said nothing, and expressed nothing. You could tell there were a million things running through his mind, one of those probably being how he couldn't wait to get out of there.

"So, did you enjoy Dim Sum?" I asked him when we were on our way home. It only made sense that we headed back together, what with living opposite each other and all.

"It was ok, I guess." He couldn't even look at me.

"You could have just said no. Nobody forced you to come."

"I know. I'm sorry. It's just I had such a good day with you today and I wanted to make the effort. See if we could make it as friends again." He'd stopped all together now. He had his hands securely in his pockets, his eyes firmly planted on the floor. I had a feeling this wasn't going to end well.

"Friends?"

"Well, yeah."

"Ok, so what did you decide? Are we friends or not?" I knew this was coming. Knew it was just a matter of time before we had to have this conversation. I just didn't think it would take place in a side street in Chinatown on the night of graduation. Life is just full of surprises.

"I could never be just friends with you Lauren."

"So what does that mean?"

"It means I can't do this."

"Let me get this straight. It's either all or nothing? We're either in this together or not at all? So which one is it, Pete? All or nothing?" I couldn't help the tears that sprung to my eyes in that moment. I always had that ounce of hope that one day he'd just appear in my window and say he couldn't handle not being with me, that he'd sweep me off my feet and we'd live our happily ever after. I should know more than most that life isn't some stupid Disney movie. It doesn't always end the way we want it to.

"Nothing." Like I'm surprised.

"Pete, what happened at Oscorp was a tragedy. It was horrible. I don't go a day without thinking about it. But I know, the one thing that would help me through is you. You were there, you experienced it. Only you and me know what that was like. It wasn't your fault what happened to the Captain, what happened to me. You saved the whole city."

"Lauren, I don't know what to do. I can't get it out of my head. You could have been killed up there. What would I have done if you'd died?" He was a wreck, could hardly get his words out. This was just a huge mess.

"It was my decision to go up there Peter. You told me to go home, and I didn't. Captain Stacy made his choice to be up there too. We both knew the risks. You can't blame yourself for choices that other people have made. It's not fair to you."

"Lauren, the Captain, what he said up on that roof. He was right. Spider-Man will always have enemies, and they will stop at nothing to hurt the people closest to me. If I have to stay away from you to keep you safe, then that's what I'm going to do." He was shouting at me now, tears evident in his eyes as he did. He was trying to make me understand. I did. I did understand, but that didn't mean I had to go along with it. I thought today was the first steps on getting something back with him. Turns out it would be the driving force that pushed him away for good.

"What's if it's not what I want? Does my opinion not matter to you?" I can shout back too Parker.

"Not if your opinion is going to put your life at risk."

"What if I'm willing to take the risk Pete?

"I'm not. If something ever happened to you I wouldn't be able to live with myself." He mumbled in despair, turning away from me and moving forward.

"Don't walk away from me Pete. I love you." Even I was struggling to get my words out now. That was rare for me.

"I love you too. I do."

"Then don't do this. Give us a chance."

I stepped in front of him, making sure that he couldn't walk away any further and placed my hand on his cheek, forcing him to look at me. I couldn't just give up on us. Not again.

"I can't. It's too dangerous."

"Look, the fact that you're Spider-Man, that's great, but it's not who I love. I love the geek who helped me pick up all my books on my first day at school, the guy with the messy hair and glasses who walked me home and gave me every cheesy chat up line in the book. It's Peter Parker I love. Isn't that worth something?"

"I can't lose you."

"If we're together, who's to say something will happen to me? At least we'd have a chance. Doing this, you're definitely losing me, you're pushing me away. How does that make any sense?"

"At least you'll be breathing. At least you'll be living a life. I'm sorry. I'm not going to change my mind."

Pulling himself out of my gaze, he backed himself away. He didn't leave, made no attempt to run, just stood there. It couldn't have been more than a metre that separated us, but it may as well have been a thousand miles.

"Wow. I wish you fought for me the way you do everything else."

"I fight for you every day. I fight with myself to stay away from you."

"Well that's not good enough Pete. You gave me hope today. Hope we could get past this. Now you've just wrecked it for good. You've broken my heart, again. I can't let that happen anymore. I can't get through this anymore. If you walk away now, that's it. No more chances. No more coming back from this."

"I'm sorry."

With that, he ripped his glistening eyes away from mine, shot a web up to the roof of the nearest building and just disappeared into the dark. He was gone. We were over. No more second chances.

"I GUESS I'LL JUST GET A TAXI HOME THEN." I screamed in tears up towards the sky. First he dumps me again to try and keep me safe. Next he's leaving me alone, at night, in a back street in Chinatown. His mind really was messed up.

I wasn't sad now, not like the first time. Now I was angry. Angry at him for what he'd done. Angry at myself for letting him do what he'd done, and angry at what felt like the whole world for putting us in this situation.

There is no way on this earth I am going to let Peter Parker rule my life anymore. I was taking it back. I wasn't going to pine over the future I thought I could have with him. I was going to pave a new path for myself, a path that didn't include a certain Spider-Bastard. This was it, a turning point, a new start.

The next morning, after a night of practically no sleep, I was sitting at the breakfast table with Aunt Penny when an idea popped into my head.

"Aunt Pen?"

"Yes, sweetie?" She asked, taking a swig from her daily wake up coffee.

"You know a while back you mentioned that you've always wanted to go travelling around Europe? Just you and an open plane ticket?"

"Sure. What about it?"

"Well why don't you? After everything that's happened, I've realised that we have to live life to the full. Live our dreams while we still can."

"Honey, don't be ridiculous." She giggled, not able to hide the fact she was actually thinking about it. She had that far away look in her eye.

"Why is it ridiculous? You're retired. You'd make a bomb selling this house. Didn't you say that Mr Shepherd from your book club always wanted to buy this place?"

"Yes he did. It was his grandmother's house before I moved in."

"Sell it to him then. Spend the money. Enjoy it and go. Live your dream."

"But what about you? Wouldn't you want to come with me?" Yes. She was actually considering this. Of course I wanted her to live her dream, but I'll admit I did have an ulterior motive. I wanted to get out of this house. I wanted to avoid Peter Parker at all costs. I couldn't do that if I was living opposite him.

"What about me? You said you always wanted to do it alone. Be completely independent. Not have to worry about anyone or anything. I'll be fine. Besides, I have to stay. I've got to look out for Gwen, she needs me right now."

"But honey. What if you get hurt again and I'm not here? No, I can't do it. I can't leave you."

"Aunt Penny, I will be ok. If something did happen, which it won't, I've got enough people to look out for me. Believe me when I say, I'm not going to be going out of my way to end up in hospital. Trust me?"

"I do trust you sweetie. Where would you live if I sold the house?"

"I've got some savings from working at Oscorp. I'm sure you'll have enough left over to loan me a little. I'll just rent an apartment in the city for a few months. So what do you say?"

"Oh, I don't know. I can't say that I've never thought about it."

"Well then do it. Now. While you still can. Don't let me hold you back. Come on."

She thought about it for a moment. Didn't say a word and just mentally went over it in silence. I was waiting with baited breathe. Please Aunt Penny. I have to get out of here.

Standing up, she shook her head at me, a massive smile suddenly appearing on her face and then said,

"Why not, you only live once. I'm going to do it."

"Yes, Aunt Penny. You won't regret this. I know you'll love it."

Phew. Not only was I going to get out of this street, but Aunt Penny would be far away and safe. For whatever reason, New York seemed to be the main hub for trouble and psycho's. At least she'd be far away from it.

After giving her a lengthy cuddle, we grabbed our phones, loaded up the laptop and got to work. Now she'd decided to do it, she was eager to get the ball rolling. She was afraid she'd change her mind if she left it too long. No time like the present I guess.

"Right Aunt Penny, you call Mr Shepherd and get as much money out of him for this place as you can. I'll book your plane tickets and start looking for my apartment."

Step one of getting Peter Parker out of my life...Done.

* * *

 **I hope you liked this chapter guys. It will start moving along a lot faster now. I hope you're ready.**

 **As always, please review, fave and follow. I'll update again in a couple of days.**


	4. Chapter 4

**AUTHOR NOTE –**

Hi everyone. I just wanted to say a quick thank you for all the amazing feedback on the last chapter. I'm so happy that you seem to be on board with the direction it's heading so far.

As promised, I'm going to give a shout out to a reviewer of each chapter. The shout out for chapter 3 goes to... **ColdHeartAngel**. I loved your review soooo much. You seem so excited about the story and that put a huge smile on my face. Thank you for all of your support and I hope you like the rest of the story.

Let's get on with it then peeps.

 **Talk Me Down – Chapter 4**

* * *

" _Good morning New Yorkers. We're looking forward to another beautiful day here in the city...Increases in sightings of Spider-Man have sparked a national debate on the role of vigilantes in American crime fighting. Just last night on Manhattan Bridge he saved at least a dozen lives. We want to hear your calls. Some folks think there might be more than one man. What do you think? One guy or many?"_

"Aunt Penny, can you switch the radio off? It's giving me a blinding headache." Enough of that, thank you. He's literally everywhere.

"Sure sweetie. Is everything ok?"

"Yeah, fine. We just need to get this packing finished. Maybe we did do this too fast. I don't know how we've managed to sell the house, find me an apartment and get everything boxed in only 3 weeks. It's crazy."

"I know it is pretty fast. If we hadn't have gone ahead with everything like we did though, I fear I would have lost my nerve and changed my mind about this trip. Oh Lauren honey, if you hadn't brought it up I doubt I would have ever taken the jump. I'm going to live out one of my dreams because of you. I can't thank you enough."

"It's me that should be thanking you. I don't know how I would have gotten through the last year without you. Maybe it's time now that I try and get some independence. I rely too much on other people. I need to try and make it on my own for a while."

"I can't say that I won't worry about you, but as long as you keep me updated on what you're up to and you don't get yourself into any trouble then I'm sure everything will be ok."

"It will be Aunt Pen."

"Maybe it's time I bite the bullet and tell May. She won't be happy about it. I have to pick up the moving van in a few hours and I want to let her know before then. I hope she'll be ok."

"She will be. I'll keep in contact with her and make sure everything's ok. Plus, she's got Peter. She'll be fine." Why did I have to bring him into it?

"Honey, I don't like to ask, but what is going on with you and Peter? You were so close, and at graduation you seemed to be building bridges." She genuinely looked concerned. I'm not surprised. To an outsider we were two people who had gone from being inseparable to strangers more or less over night. She didn't know the reasons why, the ins and outs. She wouldn't ever know.

"Nothing's going on with me and Pete. We both decided that it was getting too heavy and we needed some space. We're both really young and I want to concentrate on getting a new job, my application to NYU. I can't do that if I've got a full time boyfriend."

"As long as you're happy sweetie, that's all that matters to me."

"I am happy. I will be anyway."

A few hours later Aunt Penny and I started loading the moving van we'd rented for the next two days. It was decided that furniture, appliances and other various items that I could use in my apartment would be coming with me. They were being picked up along with all the other heavy items by removal guys the next day. I'd also be taking boxes of personal stuff as well. Things I could just store away. They'd be moved in the van by me and Aunt Pen. Everything else would be going into storage near to where I was staying. Once Aunt Penny was back from her year round trip then she'd come stay with me for a while and we'd work out what to do from there.

I'm not gonna lie, my new apartment wasn't exactly an executive suite at the The St. Regis but it would do. It was in Midtown, slap bang in the middle of Hell's Kitchen. It was actually a good size. That was reflected in the price for sure, with rent and utilities it worked out around two grand a month. I thought it was a crazy amount, and my savings from Oscorp were no way gonna cover it. I was happy to look for something else, but Aunt Pen was having none of it. She wanted me in a nice area, where she wouldn't have to worry. I'd be halfway between Gwen on the Upper West Side and my prospective college NYU. I'd also be close to job opportunities and near to the subway if I wanted to visit a certain Parker residence. She paid the landlord a full years rent up front without me knowing. I was so angry at her. She said it didn't even make a dent in how much she'd made for the house, plus she would be staying once she got back and she wanted to be safe in the knowledge that she would be returning somewhere nice. All I had to pay were the monthly bills. I could cover that. I have to admit, I was pretty excited to go out into the big wide world on my own. I couldn't have done it without her. I'm going to miss her so much.

Aunt Pen had gone across the street and told May what was going on. She was devastated. I knew they were close. I just didn't realise how much. I kind of felt guilty. I mean it was me who planted the idea into her head. It was me that got the ball rolling. Was it all too soon? Was this whole thing just a result of me being selfish?

Anyway, after she'd told May and she could see how excited Aunt Pen was, she came over and helped us to pack things into the moving van. They both cried a bit, reminisced a bit more. Went over and over contact details, like how they could keep in touch, how May could keep in contact with me. She wanted my address even. I was hesitant. Did I really want May knowing where I was going to be living? She was one away from Pete and if he found out then what would be the point in me moving at all? He'd know exactly where to find me. Not like I was hiding or anything though. Enough of the mental sarcasm Lauren.

We worked out it was going to take just under an hour to get from the house to the new apartment, so May being the lovely lady she is offered to drive there with Aunt Pen and help unload whilst I carried on at the house. There wasn't too much to take ourselves. The removal men were going to be coming for all the big stuff over the next day or so. I decided to load up Aunt Pen's car with some more bits and bobs and head on over there too. Nearly everything was packed now anyway. I'd only be waiting for them to come back.

I called ahead to Aunt Pen and let her know what I was doing, filled up the car to the brim and got ready for the off. I carried the last box I could fit in out to the porch and locked the door behind me. I picked up the box, took one step, and of course something went wrong. I must have overfilled it or something. It all came falling out of the bottom, rolled all over the front yard and created a bit of a scene. Well, for the one solitary figure watching me from across the street anyway. Just my luck.

"What's with all the boxes?" Peter asked, stepping into my line of vision, a creased brow and confused look engulfing his face.

"I really don't think it's any of your business."

"Come on, Lauren. What's going on? Where are you going?" I really can't deal with this right now. Does he not realise what this is doing to me? This is all him.

"Shouldn't you be off saving a family from a burning building or something?"

I managed to get down on to my hands and knees, pick up the contents from the box and load it all into the car without looking at him even once. I was winning, even if I was shaking the whole time.

"Be serious. Please, just tell me?"

The way he said that last sentence stopped me in my tracks. It was sad. It was pleading. He was begging me to tell him, begging me to let him in. I had to look at him then. I had to chance it. My body wouldn't let me ignore him anymore. It was an automatic reaction.

"I thought you wanted nothing Peter? I thought me and you were done. It shouldn't matter where I'm going. We're not a part of each other's lives anymore." Hold it together Lauren. Hold it together.

"Lauren, you know why I'm doing this. I don't want you to go anywhere. Not because of me."

"You know what Peter? Not everything revolves around you. Aunt Pen is going to Europe for a few months. She needed to sell the house to fund it and so that's what she's done." One little white lie never hurt any one.

"Wait, what? You're going to Europe? Lauren, please don't do this."

"I didn't say that, did I? Aunt Penny is going to Europe. I'm staying in New York. Happy now?"

"Where are you going to live?"

"Now, that you don't need to know. I have no doubt you'll get the info out of your Aunt at some point, but I intend to keep it to myself for as long as possible. I think that's only fair."

"I don't know what to say."

"I think you've said enough for a lifetime, don't you?"

"Lauren, I'm so sorry." He looked really sad. It almost broke me. I knew him so well. He could see right through me, my words. He knew that what happened between us played a part in all this, even after everything I'd said. I just couldn't be that close to him, not every day, not if we weren't going to be together. I had to stay strong. I had to keep up this front.

"Pete, you need to let this go. You need to let me go. If we're going to move on from each other, we can't be living in the same street, seeing each other every day. We need a clean break. New York needs Spider-Man. Focus on that. I'll focus on, whatever it is I'm doing."

For what felt like forever, we just looked at each other, Pete not taking his eyes off of me for a second. It was like he was fighting some internal battle on what to say or do next.

I couldn't wait any longer. I couldn't put myself through that. It was time to end this.

Tearing my gaze from him, I moved around to the driver's side of the car and got in. Just as I was about to pull the door shut behind me, a trembling arm suddenly reached out and stopping me doing so, a stammering Pete, leaning in so he could look at me once more.

"I can't...I can't."

"You can't what, Pete?" This was killing me.

"Lauren, you know I can't lose you."

"You lost me when you left me in Chinatown. YOU left ME. Remember that."

With those words, Pete nodded with a shaky lip, moved from the door and just stood there. I shut the driver's door with a slam, took a deep, calming breath and then turned the key in the ignition. This was it. He didn't try and stop me, he didn't shout, he didn't cry. He just stood there, stood there and watched.

I pulled away from the curb, slowly turned on to the street and started to move away. As he got smaller and smaller in my rear view mirror I realised something. Something that I think I kind of knew all along but wouldn't admit to myself. I thought that the further away I got, the less it would hurt, the less I would care. Truth of the matter is, the more distance I gained, the more I wanted to turn around and go straight back to him. I couldn't let myself though. I wouldn't. I refuse. If he was strong enough to break up with me, to keep me safe as he put it, then I would be strong enough to let him. Strong enough to let him let me go, to let him keep me safe.

* * *

 **Oh, the feels. Writing this I really didn't picture another heart to heart between Lauren and Peter. It just kind of happened. I couldn't find a way around it. It's just so sad. I want them together as much as you do. The damn writer in my brain won't let it happen. Not yet anyway.**

 **Remember to please review. Don't forget I will give a shout out to one of my faves at the beginning of the next chapter.**


	5. Chapter 5

**AUTHOR NOTE –**

Wow guys. You surpass yourselves with each chapter. The reviews I've received have been amazing and so lovely to read through. I was in two minds about how to go about the moving scene. I knew there was no way Lauren could leave without Peter noticing. I just wasn't sure how to go about the aftermath of him finding out. To read that you like the way it went has put my mind at rest.

The reviewer shout out for chapter 4 is going to... **Fangirlwithapassion**. You're review put a huge smile on my face. I think the whole point of storytelling is to convey emotion, draw the reader in and make them care about your characters, the tale you're trying to tell. I'm so glad that you are enjoying it as much as you are.

The story is going to start moving along a lot faster now. I've established where we are, the nature of the relationships etc. It's time to get some action going. Are you ready?

 **Talk Me Down – Chapter 5**

* * *

A couple of months later I was all settled into my new apartment, Aunt Pen had headed off on her trip too. The last I heard from her she was in Italy exploring the Coliseum and eating as many gelato's as she could get her hands on. It sounded like she was having an amazing time. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea in the end.

Some great news, which is pretty rare in my life as you know, I got my place at NYU. Not only will I be majoring in physics but I also landed myself a little part time job in the campus science lab. Not much different to what I was doing before, but it wasn't Oscorp. That was a plus.

I had let Aunt Penny in on the developments and as a result she let me bypass the whole summer employment thing. Seeing as I'd be doing a paid job at NYU she said I should just enjoy the summer. There was enough money in the pot to get me by. Just a shame I didn't have many people to enjoy the summer with. Gwen has been a godsend.

To say she'd visited me in my new digs a few times would be the understatement of the millennium. She'd practically moved herself in. It started with the odd sleep over here and there. We'd watch 90's rom coms, get take out and eat ice-cream until we practically threw up. If I'm honest I think we were both trying to distract ourselves, and each other. Gwen was still dealing with losing her Dad. I was dealing with the whole Pete situation.

Remember, Gwen now knew about Peter, knew his secret. I'd done a pretty crappy job at keeping tight lipped during the whole Connor's fiasco. I trusted Gwen more than anyone, so it wasn't too big an issue. It actually was pretty good. It meant that there was finally somebody I could talk completely honestly with. I didn't have to leave anything out. As a result, when Gwen found out me and Pete broke up for good this time, she was quick to proclaim that she agreed with him. She said me being with Spider-Man put me at risk and she couldn't survive losing anyone else. We'd gone from talking about it all the time, to mentioning him every now and then, to not even acknowledging his existence. His name became like Voldemort in Harry Potter 'he who must not be named'.

"Gwen, isn't your Mom gonna start missing you soon? You haven't been home in like 5 days." I asked my bestie one Monday morning whilst I watched her getting ready for work.

"She just wants me to be happy. Being with my best friend does that. I'll go home tonight though. Why don't you come for supper? I'm sure she wouldn't mind."

"Nah, I'll let you have a family night. Besides, it's my weekly video call with Aunt Pen later. If I miss it she'll be on the next plane home. You know how she panics."

"Ok. What about lunch then? You can meet me at work and we can go into town and try those Korean meatballs everybody is raving about."

"Sure, why not. About 1 ok?"

"Perfect."

A few hours later, I made my way over to Oscorp to meet Gwen. Luckily the company had moved to a new building in the last few weeks. It meant that I could go and see Gwen and not get the shivers every time I went near it. It was also good for her too. I highly doubt she could have continued working there, after what happened. She was so strong. I just ran, left, hid. She soldiered through, carried on. I don't how she did it so well. I was a mess.

I was within a couple of blocks and still had 20 minutes before I was due to meet Gwen, so no rush. I was just about to cross at the lights when this weird feeling came over me. You must have had it before, that sensation you get where you feel like you're being watched. I had that, I felt that. It was kinda different to most people's experiences of it though. Usually you'd sense someone behind you, in front of you, to the side of you even. For me, I could sense them above. Way up high. I'd felt it a few times recently actually. Every time it was the same. I'd get that odd sensation. I'd look up to find the source and see absolutely nothing. I'd told Gwen about it. She was convinced it was Peter checking up on me. That was the obvious explanation I suppose. On one hand I kind of liked the idea that he was following me around. It meant he still cared, that was he was still looking out for me. On the other, I was kind of mad. I had completely cut him out, couldn't even mention his name and there he was following me about to his heart's content. You know what, maybe it wasn't him. Maybe it was me making it all up, imagining it, hoping for it. Chances are I'd never find out.

Deciding to put it all to the back of my mind I took the final few steps towards the Oscorp entrance. I walked in through the huge doors and made my way to the visitors section of the lobby. It was whilst waiting for my clearance that K.A.R.I or Kinetic Artificial Reactive Intelligence to give her, her full name popped up to give a virtual presentation. The sort that's like a hologram on a continual loop.

 _Oscorp Industries is proud to announce the world's first electromagnetic power grid. By converting aging power stations into a field of hydro electric towers, we are generating clean, green, sustainable energy to power Manhattan and finally the rest of the world._

I must have listened to that speech about 5 times before I finally made it through security. Luckily they knew me from working there before and didn't make me go through all the questions. If they hadn't been aware of me, no doubt I'd have been there another 20 minutes at least. I don't get it. It's not like they had anything to hide. Oh wait, it's Oscorp. I take it all back.

"Dillon, you're late. Get back to work." I heard someone shout from across the hall.

"I'm sorry. The double decker trains were so slow, sir." I knew that voice.

"Max." I called out with a smile, making my way over to my old colleague.

When I worked at Oscorp I used to see Max milling about all the time. He was so shy, with his greased down hair, taped up glasses and checked shirts. He never spoke to anybody. He tried, don't get me wrong. He just wasn't very successful. Even in the staff cafeteria people would turn away when he approached their table, that's if they even noticed him there at all. I took it upon myself after that to make a friend of him, kind of anyway. I'd always make sure I said hello in the mornings, offered him a seat with me at lunch. Little things, you know. I think it made a difference. Put a smile on his face.

"Lauren?" He whipped around, quickly and with a toothy grin.

"Hey. How have you been?"

"I'm good. I'm good. I thought you would have forgotten about me."

"Forgotten about Max Dillon? Are you kidding me? That would never happen."

"Well, jeez. That's just swell." The excited chuckle that left his mouth had me laughing along with him.

"Look Max, I've gotta run. I'm meeting a friend. It was nice to see you though."

"Oh yeah of course, that's fine, absolutely fine. I've got to get work anyway. I'll maybe see you again sometime?"

"Sure you will."

Pushing my way through the crowd of robot like employees, I managed to make my way to the elevator. I was originally supposed to meet Gwen in the lobby, but she wasn't there. Probably running late as usual. I decided it would be better to find her and then drag her away from her computer. It wouldn't be the first time.

Stepping into the glass cube, I was relieved to find I was the only one in it. A moment's breathing space in this place is such a rarity. I spoke too soon.

"CAN YOU HOLD THE ELEVATOR PLEASE?" A male voice called out just as the doors were closing, me complying and making sure it didn't shut.

"Thanks." The person behind the voice smirked as he ran in and then stood to the side of me. He looked kind of familiar.

"No problem. Floor?" I asked.

"Sorry. What?" Why was he just staring at me?

"What floor do you want?"

"Oh, seventy-two please."

"Umm sixty-three and seventy-two please K.A.R.I." I instructed the A.I screen as the doors shut, the elevator finally making its ascent.

Talk about an awkward silence. I kept feeling his eyes on me. Every time I looked over he'd quickly glance away. I caught him though, I caught him good.

He was young, couldn't have been much older than me. Had dark blonde hair, which was sleek and parted at the side, bright blue eyes that did that smize thing Tyra Banks always talks about. You know the smiling with your eyes. He was actually pretty good looking, in a clean cut, awkward kind of way. He really did look familiar.

"Do I know you?" I asked, breaking the silence. It was driving me crazy where I'd seen him before.

"No. I'd definitely remember you." He snorted with a crooked grin.

"Well, I definitely know you from somewhere. What's your name?"

"Harry. Harry Osborne." Oh.

"Oh, I'm so stupid. Of course you are."

"Don't worry about it. So do I get to put a name to your face?" He asked, taking a pair of sunglasses out of his inside pocket and then buffing the lenses with his sleeves.

"Lauren Adams, former employee."

"Why former?"

"Long story."

"Another time maybe?" Was he flirting with me? Throw him off Lauren. Throw him off.

"I'm sorry about your Dad passing away, Harry. He made this company a massive success. It must be hard, being all over the papers and everything."

"I'll get over it. Got enough to keep me busy." I knew a show a mile off. It was all a front.

"Still, you should probably forget about work for a while. Hang out with your friends and stuff. Mine always help me through tough times."

"It kind of helps if you have friends."

"Sorry. I shouldn't have opened my big mouth. I always stick my foot in it."

"It's fine. What about you?" Harry questioned, taking a step so he was right in front of me.

"What about me?"

"Do you wanna hang out? We could get coffee."

"I don't know...You don't even know me...I've just gone through a massive break..."

DING

Oh, thank god. We'd finally reached my floor before I had to give an answer. Talk about saved by the bell. I mean I just met the guy. I knew his history. I've read enough editions of US weekly for Christ's sake. Every month he had a different girl on his arm. Did he think I was just like the rest of them? Did I give off that vibe?

"This is me. I've gotta go. Maybe I'll see you around?" I couldn't get out of there fast enough. Even if he did intend it to be just friends going for coffee, it still panicked me. It was going out with a guy, that wasn't him, wasn't Peter. I couldn't do that. I couldn't do that to him. I couldn't do that to me. I wasn't ready.

"Lauren, wait." Harry called as I rushed away.

"It was nice to meet you Harry."

When I finally found Gwen and dragged her away from her desk I blurted out everything that happened with my new acquaintance Harry. It was half an hour later when we were just about to tuck into the newly famous Korean meatballs that she let her own thoughts be known.

"I don't see what the problem is. He's good looking. He's rich. You obviously got his attention. I would have said yes."

"Gwen, what if he meant it as a date? I'm not ready. Going out as friends, maybe I could do that but..."

"But what? You and Pete broke up months ago. You moved half way across the city to get away from him, to move on. He's ruling your life just as much as he was when you were living within breathing distance of each other."

She was right wasn't she? She was always right?

"I don't know what to do Gwen. Not just about the Harry thing, but all of it. You know how I feel about Pete, how Pete feels or felt about me. I don't know if that will ever change."

"Maybe it won't. Maybe it will. You can't live your life waiting for him to change his mind about the two of you. It's getting ridiculous. Lauren, you say you want to move on, that you want to let him go, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then do it. Next time a guy asks you out, say yes."

"What any guy?"

"Well not serial killers. You know what I mean."

"I don't know Gwen." Why was I so messed up?

"Lauren, I'm your best friend. Correct?"

"Yep."

"And as your best friend, you trust me. Right?"

"Sure."

"Then trust me with this. Just give it a try."

I'm gonna regret this aren't I?

"Fine."

* * *

 **Oooooh, Lauren has met Harry. That could lead to whole heaps of trouble. What do you reckon?**

 **Remember to please review. Don't forget I will give a shout out to one of my faves at the beginning of the next chapter.**


	6. Chapter 6

**AUTHOR NOTE –**

Hey guys, I'm back. Long no time no type. I know I'm awful.

Anyway, shall I just skip a lengthy apology and get back into it? I think so.

My shout out for the last chapter goes to... **CupCakes24**. Thank you so much for your review on the last chapter. I love your enthusiasm for the story so far. I hope you like this new chapter.

Here it goes.

 **Talk Me Down – Chapter 6**

* * *

A couple of weeks after promising Gwen I would say yes to the next guy who asked me out, I was faced with the predicament of actually going through with it. My lovely, stirrer of a best friend decided to take it upon herself to make it happen. She sought Harry Osborne out. She literally stood outside his office, waited for him to leave and then gave him my number. I was oblivious to her doing this, well that was until I got a phone call, a call from Mr Osborne himself.

Don't get me wrong, going against his public reputation Harry seemed like a great guy, the perfect guy even. He was smart, funny, had amazing eyes and was now the head of a 200 billion dollar company. Even with all that, I still hesitated, it didn't feel right. After much convincing over the phone, Harry smooth talked me into going for coffee with him, just as friends as he put it. Yeah, like I've not heard that one before. The second I put the phone down after agreeing to this little meet up, I regretted it straight away. I felt like I was making a huge mistake.

"Gwen, I don't think I can go through with this," I worried, Gwen touching up my make up on the morning of mine and Harry's starbucks trip.

"Lauren, for god's sake. We both know the reason why you don't wanna do this. The reason is 6ft 2, stupid and in the past. You need to move on."

"Maybe I'm not ready. If Peter found out I was seeing other guys he'd be really upset."

"He broke up with you Lauren," Gwen pushed, grabbing on to my shoulders.

"Yeah to protect me, not because he didn't love me."

"Fine, one break up I can let slide. Two, no way. You are meeting Harry and that is final. You never know you might actually end up enjoying yourself."

Turns out she was right. What I intended to be a 10 minute gulp and run at the coffee shop turned into a whole morning of getting to know each other, jokes, fun and laughter. I can't remember the last time I actually did that. For the first time in months my mind wasn't plagued by thoughts of a certain Spider-Parker.

Harry was exciting, different, drama free. He didn't come with a stack of bad feelings, memories and pain. With him I had a clean slate. With him I had a chance at maybe being happy again. We'd gone out for drinks as 'friends' a few times since then. Maybe all that is destined for me and Harry is to be friends, but who knows. If we take it slow, like really slow maybe it can blossom into something else. We'll see.

"Hey, Mrs Stacy do you need a hand with the food?" It was a Sunday and Gwen had invited me round to spend the day with her family. I wanted to help out whilst I was there. It was the least I could do after everything that's happened. Part of me will always feel guilty for ripping their family apart.

"Oh thanks sweetie, do you want to slice some bread for the table?"

"Sure."

Grabbing a bread knife from the drawer, I placed the freshly baked bloomer on to the counter and started to cut it into slices. Now everybody knows how accident prone I am right? Seriously though, even I couldn't mess up slicing bread surely.

 _Breaking news coming out of downtown Manhattan this afternoon..._

The radio alerted from the kitchen shelf just behind me.

 _An armed bank heist was thwarted by our very own Spider-Man._

My attention was now drawn away at the sudden mention of Pete. It doesn't matter what I do he is always there, waiting to pop back out and make sure I haven't forgotten him. This time around however I wasn't annoyed, I wasn't angry. I was just worried. I hope he's ok.

 _Eye witnesses from inside the bank say that the masked hero had a few near misses when the robbers opened fire in his direction._

What?

 _Rest assured Spider-Man managed to save the day again on this occasion, but is it only a matter of time before he meets his match? We hope not, but in a city of growing crime we can only ask...are our heroes even safe?_

"OUCH!" I yelped at the top of my lungs after that last sentence from the newsreader. I'd gotten completely lost in what they were saying, that I forgot entirely that I was slicing away with a razor sharp bread knife. No surprises then, when it went cutting straight into my palm.

"Lauren, are you ok?" Gwen called in worry, running into the kitchen when she heard my shouts, her Mum quick to cradle my hand and wrap it in a towel.

"I'm fine. I was just being stupid, clumsy me as per usual. I'm sure it looks worse than it is." It damn well hurt though.

"That's a lot of blood Lauren." Gwen said, looking over at the counter where I'd just been. Wow, she was right. That did not look good.

"Honey I think I should take you to the hospital," Mrs Stacy suggested after looking more closely at the damage I'd done. All I saw was blood. I haven't seen that much since...never mind.

"Don't be silly, I'm sure it's nothing." I'm so useless. Damn you radio presenter person.

"It looks like you're going to need stitches maybe. Come I'll take you."

"It's ok, really. You all enjoy your dinner. I'll take myself off to the hospital. It's only a 5 minute walk away."

"Are you sure? I'll come with you?" Gwen asked.

"No seriously. You stay. Besides I could be there for hours and you have to sort out everything for your Oxford interview. Don't worry about me. It's not like it's the first time I've been in this situation," I laughed, grabbing my things and making my way out of the front door.

"Let us know how you get on, ok sweetie?" Gwen's Mum asked with concern as I went down the hall, cradling my wrapped up hand as I went.

"I will. Sorry about all the blood."

A few minutes later I'd reached the hospital and slowly ventured into the ER department. I really hate this place.

"If you just take a seat and fill out this form for me, someone will be over to examine you shortly," a portly receptionist said after I'd arrived.

"Ummm, I have a slight problem with that," I said, raising my throbbing my hand in her direction, the receptionist looking back at me clueless.

"And what would that be?" Could she sound anymore fed up with her life?

"I write with my left hand."

"Yes, and..."

"The reason I'm here is because I sliced through it." Come on, I told you what was wrong with me when I got here. It's not my day.

"Well, in that case you'll have to get somebody to fill it out for you."

"Like who? You're dazzling personality? I'm on my own."

"Look, Miss..."

"Adams."

"Miss Adams. It's a Sunday, it's busy, you're probably going to be waiting a while. Why don't you call someone, get them to come down here and they can help you fill it out."

"Wow, you're so helpful." She really needs to take some kind of course for people skills.

Taking a seat in the overcrowded ER, I pulled my phone out with my free hand and looked through my contacts for who I call up to come and help me.

I'd made a huge deal about being ok on my own to Gwen, so she was out of the question. Aunt Penny was half way around the world, so she was out. May had enough on her plate with her secret keeping nephew to worry about me and anyone else that I knew didn't care about me enough to bother losing their Sunday. That left Harry. He seemed like the only viable option in that moment.

 _You have reached the voice mail for Mr Harry Osborne. If you have a business enquiry please do not hesitate in contacting Oscorp, where we can direct you to the right department. If you wish to speak to Mr Osborne with regards to a personal matter then please leave a message after the beep. He will get back to you at his earliest convenience._

 _BEEP_

Wow, what a message that was. I'd never heard anything like it. I know I didn't know Harry that well, but I could have really used him right now. With him crossed off the list, that left only one other name in my contacts, a name that seemed to stand out more than the others. His. Pete's.

My thumb hovered over the number, not knowing whether I could actually do it or not. A thousand times since we'd broken up I'd find myself doing the same thing, but never actually going so far as to actually dial the number. I'd refused to give in. This time though I was closer than ever. Sitting here alone in this hospital, where I've been so many times, I wanted nothing more than to just have someone there, someone who cared about me, someone who could look after me. Was it him? Was it him that I wanted? That I needed?

Tears suddenly sprung to my eyes, the thought of how much my life has really changed finally hitting me. A few months ago I wouldn't have thought twice about calling Peter. He would have been here in seconds, holding my hand in his, shouting at every nurse and doctor that went by, telling them I needed to be seen asap. He would be more worried than I was, more on edge than I was. He wouldn't calm down until I'd gotten the all clear and been sent home. What the hell happened to us? Oh I know...Spider-Man.

"Lauren, honey?" A faint and worried voice murmured from my side, pulling me out of my funk.

"May?" I called out in surprise when I saw who it was now taking a seat at my side.

"What happened?" She asked in concern, taking my injured palm carefully in hers.

"An accident with a bread knife. Blame my lack of concentration," I tried to joke off before realising something.

"What are you doing here anyway? Is Pete ok?" Suddenly panicking that maybe he did in fact get injured during the bank robbery.

"Pete's fine honey, I haven't seen him all day actually. God knows what that boy gets up to. I've given up asking him," she laughed in exasperation, taking my form off of me and starting to fill it out without me even asking. She really is the best.

"That doesn't explain why you're here then." I wondered, failing to notice a staff badge pinned to the pocket of her slightly crumpled pink shirt.

"You can't tell Peter. He'll only worry."

"Pete and I aren't exactly on speaking terms right now to be honest. You're not sick are you?"

"No Lauren, nothing like that. I'm actually doing nurse training. It'll be more money once I'm qualified, it's better than waitressing and it actually makes me feel like I have a purpose."

"That's incredible. I'm so happy for you. You'll be amazing. Why don't you want Pete to know?

"He already thinks I do too much. He wouldn't understand sweetie," she smiled sadly.

"I think if you actually sat him down and spoke to him about it the way you have with me, he'd understand. It might take a while for him to come around to the idea but I'm pretty sure he will."

"You really think so?" She asked.

"I know so."

Finishing on that note, May helped me complete my medical form and even managed to rush me through to the nurse. Turned out I did need stitches, 5 in total. I was given a shot of pain killers, a bag full of bandages and gauze I had to use to keep it clean, and a loved filled goodbye from May when she went off to get back to work. She hadn't left my side the entire time I was there. She was a god send. I really miss her. It's just so hard keeping in touch when the person closest to her is someone you're trying to avoid.

A number of hours later I was sat at home, nursing my throbbing hand, whilst watching an old episode of the Vampire diaries and drooling over the specimen that is Ian Somerhalder. The pain killers had now started to wear off and the achy feeling became all I could think about. It hurt so bad. I needed something to distract me, something to take my mind off of it. I just didn't want it to be in the form that it eventually took.

My cell started to ring at the side of me, the name of the person ringing now shining up at me from the screen. It was Pete. May must have said something. What do I do?

"Hello?" I answered with uncertainty, deciding to bite the bullet and actually take the call.

"Lauren? Are you ok? Aunt May told me she saw you walking out of the hospital with your hand all bandaged up. Did someone hurt you? Who did it? What happened?" He was panicking, freaking out. He did still care.

"Pete, calm down, I'm fine. I had a run in with a bread knife at Gwen's. I only had to have a few stitches. It'll be ok in a few weeks."

"You're sure?"

"Positive." I couldn't help but grin.

"Well, ummmm if you need anything you know how to find me," Pete offered, all the fire now gone from his voice, a nervous and shaky tone now present.

"Yeah I do. You're always hanging around somewhere," I joked, trying to break the awkward tension.

"Too true. I guess I'll leave you to it then. Bye Laur..."

"Pete?" I suddenly said, cutting him off before he could hang up. Why did I do that?

"Yeah?"

"Do you want to maybe, meet up?" Where did that come from?

"Wow, ummmm, really? Yeah, sure. When?" He couldn't have been tripping over his words anymore if he tried.

"Tonight? Union Square Park?"

"What time?"

"8 o'clock?"

"I'll be there."

* * *

 **Please review. Don't forget I will give a shout out to one of my faves at the beginning of the next chapter.**

 **WATTPAD:** If you are a wattpad user then please don't hesitate in giving me a follow. I now post all of my fanfics on there as well. It's a lot more user friendly, and I can post messages, pics, videos, follower questions. My username is the same as on here...LondonaLozzy


	7. Chapter 7

**AUTHOR NOTE –**

Welcome back my lovelies.

My reviewer shout out for chapter 6 goes to... **sabrintb**. Thank you so much for your review. To answer your question, I loved Civil War. I'd probably go as far as to say it's one of my faves. I thought Tom Holland as Spidey was awesome. He puts a whole new spin on the character we've not seen before. If it was up to me though I would have kept Andrew in the role. I think he could have bounced off of the others actors really well, especially with the likes of RDJ. When we found out that Andrew wasn't reprising the role I had it in my head that Talk Me Down would the last time we would visit Lauren and Pete. After seeing Civil War though, I've been thinking of maybe incorporating Lauren and Andrew's Peter into the story. Sort of my version of how it would have gone had they just carried on from Amazing Spider-Man 2. What do you think?

 **Talk Me Down – Chapter 7**

* * *

At 7.30 I made my way over to Union Square Park, the place where I'd asked Pete to meet me. I still don't know why I did it, why I asked him. The question came out, and before I knew it, it was too late. What would I say when I got there? When he asked me why I'd asked him to meet me, what would I say? I didn't even know. I guess a part of me just missed him I guess, a pretty big part.

I was running a little late, what with my hesitation to actually go at all slowing me down a bit. When I finally reached our meeting spot I wasn't surprised to see him waiting there already. Standing across the street outside Forever 21 I just watched him for a while. It had been so long since I'd seen him, I just wanted to drink him in. He hadn't changed. Yeah his hair was a little longer, he'd bulked out a bit and his style was a bit different, but other than that he was just same old Pete. He didn't stand still for a second, constantly fidgeting, grabbing at his hair, rubbing his chin and turning in circles looking out for me I suppose. He looked nervous, anxiety radiated off of him. He was feeling exactly the same way as me.

I was getting lost in my own little world, when my phone ringing decided to break me out of my little spell.

"Hello?" I said, not taking my eyes off of Pete so having no idea who was calling me.

"Lauren? It's Harry." Oh my god, talk about bad timing.

"Oh hey, Harry. How are you?"

"I'm good. I had a missed call from you earlier. Just wanted to make sure you were ok." Why did he have to be so sweet?

"I'm fine. I had a little accident and I could have used some help, but it's all sorted now. Nothing to worry about."

"What kind of accident?"

"The clumsy kind. Ummm, Harry, now's not really a good time. I'm meeting a friend and I'm running super late."

"Sure, that's ok. I just wanted to let you know I've booked us a table at my favourite restaurant tomorrow night at 7. I'll pick you up..."

"Harry, I..."

"It's about time I took you out properly."

"I guess. I'll see you tomorrow then?" Did I really want to be doing this?

"It's a date."

How much of a bitch am I? I'm standing here looking across the street at my ex who I'm pretty sure I'm still in love with and at the same time I've somehow agreed to going on a date with another guy. There's no way around this. I'm gonna have to tell Pete. Meeting for coffee or lunch with Harry was one thing, but going out for dinner at some fancy restaurant was another. Chances are the press would snap us. Ever since Harry's Dad passed away they've not left him alone. We literally had to drive out to the middle of nowhere to get some peace when we did meet up. I didn't want Peter finding out about me and Harry from some magazine. I'd have to tell him. I'd have to tell him tonight.

"Hey," I called out with a nervous smile, once I'd finally built up the courage to cross the road and grab his attention.

"Hi. Where were you?" He asked, furrowing his brows and adjusting his backpack on his shoulder.

"Just running a little late is all."

"Haven't you always?" He smirked.

"I guess I have."

For a minute we just stared at each other, not a word passed our lips, not a sound. It was just me and him for a second. Knowing it couldn't stay like that I broke the silence, saying the first thing that popped into my head.

"You've got a new jacket."

"You've got a new lipstick."

"You noticed my lipstick?" I couldn't help but laugh.

"Amongst other things." Always the charmer, hey Parker?

"How's the hand?" Pete asked, brushing my bandaged palm with his thumb when we started to walk.

"It's sore, but it's ok."

"Good."

"Pete, I have to..."

"I've missed you," he interrupted me. Don't do this to me. I am a terrible, terrible person.

"I've missed you too."

"So why did you ask to meet me? Not that I'm not happy you did," Pete questioned, his big, brown doe eyes glancing down at me as we walked side by side.

"I wanted to tell you something. I also wanted to see if maybe we could give the whole friend's thing a try."

"Friends?"

"Yeah. That's what you wanted remember?"

"Lauren..."

"Pete, let's not go over that again. You made your decision, you stuck to it. I went along. It's fine. I just, I've missed having you around and I'd rather have you in my life as a friend then not at all."

"I want you in my life too, more than anything."

"Well you've got me," I grinned, bumping Pete's shoulder.

"So what was it you wanted to talk to me about?" Peter asked, me stopping in my tracks when I realised I had to tell him. I'd almost forgotten.

"Ummmm, I wanted you to find out from me rather than someone else."

"Find out what?" He questioned in worry, placing his hand on my shoulder whilst we took a seat under a tree shining with fairy lights.

"Gwen kind of set me up with someone. We've met a few times, but he asked me out on a proper date. We're going out for dinner tomorrow night."

"Oh." The look that crossed his face, and the way his fists clenched had me reeling. I felt like all the air around us had disappeared. This must be how he felt when he broke up with me. The feeling you get when you've hurt the person you love most in the world. I know he split with me, but I felt like I was the one that had now ruined us for good. Harry better be worth it.

"Who is it?"

"Does that matter?"

"It does to me. Who is it Lauren?" Wow. He was not happy.

"Harry Osborne."

"Are you serious? He's a friend of mine Lauren."

"What? You never told me that Pete. Do you seriously think I would have agreed to go out with him if I'd known that?" Why was I tearing up? Why do I always tear up?

"I don't know anymore Lauren."

"What do you mean you don't know? What do you expect me to do Pete?"

"I, I...," he stuttered, before jumping to his feet and starting to walk away from me. No you don't get to just walk.

"Pete, don't leave."

"I can't be in this situation right now. You asked me to come here so you could tell me you were dating another guy. How the hell am I supposed to react to that?"

"I didn't. Harry asked me out, after I'd spoken to you. It just kind of happened. I invited you because I missed you. That's only reason Pete. I promise." Great, full on waterworks in session.

"I don't know how you expected me to react."

"Yeah, and I don't know how you expect me to carry on with my life. You broke up with me twice. Told me we were never going to be together. I know you've been watching me. I can feel you. I can't keep waiting for you Pete. Harry is a good guy. He's been nice to me. I at least need to try and be happy with someone else, if it's never going to happen with us." Honesty was always the best policy right?

"You know why I broke up with you Lauren," Pete whispered slowly, stepping as close to me as he could without us actually touching, his breath tickling my nose and his eyes getting glassy.

"I know. I know Pete."

"I don't know what to do with this," he asked himself just as much as me, holding my injured hand in his as he did.

"Do you know what I would want you to do with it? In an ideal world? In my dream world?"

"What?"

"I'd want you to tell me to forget about him, to call him up right now and say I'm not interested. I'd want you to tell me you love me, that...that you made a massive mistake and that you want to get back together. That's what I want."

"I can't...It's not safe...It'll never be safe," he stammered, his lip starting to quiver.

"Then you can't be selfish with me. I have to try and move on, maybe with Harry, maybe with someone else. If you tell me that you want me back, then I'm yours. I'm standing right here in front of you. But if you don't, then I'm gonna go on this date."

"Lauren, I want..." Why did he just stop?

Pete was half through a sentence, a pretty important one I'm guessing and he just stopped. He turned away from me, looking in the direction of Times Square and froze. He'd spidey sensed something.

"Pete? What is it? What's wrong?"

"Stay here."

He was gone in a flash. I literally blinked and he was nowhere to be seen. The only sign of his previously being there being his clothes, converse, his backpack and his jacket. Something was wrong. Something was really, really wrong.

I had to find him. I had to get him to finish that sentence.

Without wasting another moment of time I sprung into action. I shoved Pete's clothes and shoes in his backpack, put his jacket on because there was no other room for it, slung the bag over my shoulders and then ran, ran as fast as my feet would carry me. I had to get to Times Square.

I used every bit of energy I could to get me there as quick as possible. When I eventually did I gasped in shock. The scene around me was like something out of a disaster movie. There were overturned police cars, windows were blown out, bullets littered the floor, and hundreds cowered behind cordoned off sections of the street, obviously afraid of something.

Pushing to the barrier, I spotted my reason for coming here right slap bang in the middle of it all, like I was surprised. Pete stood alone in full on Spider-Man mode talking to some guy who was shielded from my view by a black hoody. It was only when I looked up at the big screens in the square that I got a look at him from a different angle. His face was ice blue, the veins pulsating like electricity beneath his semi translucent skin. He was obviously the cause of all of this, the reason why there was so much destruction, the reason why everybody seemed so scared. I hadn't seen that kind of terror on people's faces since Connors. Looking at his face more closely I couldn't come to terms with what I was seeing. He was electric, he was impossible. I'd never seen anything like that in my life. At the same time though he seemed so familiar, like I knew him from somewhere. How could that be?

"Look, I can see that you're scared. I can see that you don't want to hurt anybody. It's gonna be alright," Pete clearly trying to calm him down.

"I don't want them shooting me," the man said, almost scared. Why did his voice sound familiar too?

"They're not going to shoot you," Pete started before addressing the cops that were stationed with guns in every direction.

"YOU GUYS? THIS IS MY BUDDY MAX. I TOLD YOU ABOUT MAX. NOBODY SHOOTS AT MAX," Peter shouted, making sure everybody could hear him. Wait? Did he just say Max?

Ripping my eyesight away from the scene in front of me and looking once more up to the screen, it dawned on me why the man seemed so familiar. It was Max. Max from Oscorp. Max who I used to work with. Max who I used to sit with at lunch. Harmless, sweet Max. What the hell happened to him?

"Come with me. We'll go somewhere and talk," Pete asked Max calmly, trying to get him away from the crowd and spotting electricity starting to pulse from his hands and feet. On a wet street where there was loads of people that was seriously not good.

Max went to approach Pete and whilst doing so accidently stepped into a puddle. That was when all hell broke loose. An electrical surge flowed from out of Max and on to the ground. It was like an explosion of blue and purple light. One hit from that and you'd be stone, cold dead. Be careful Pete.

The police immediately started firing in Max's direction, angering him when they did. To get them to stop Max started shooting electrical streams in their direction. He had to be stopped.

Pete sent a web out towards Max, an attempt to secure his arms so he couldn't continue with what he was about to do. I still couldn't understand how this could happen. Max was a good man. Someone must have done something to him. Either that or there had been a terrible accident.

Max got fed up of Pete's attempts to stop him, so decided to turn his attention to Spider-Parker and start sending electricity his way. The pulse rode up the length of one of Pete's webs, and when it came into contact with his chest sent him flying into a police car a few metres behind.

"NOOOOOOO," I screamed.

Pete was on the floor, holding his wrist as one of his web shooters began to spark. That was not good. One less line of defence.

As Max continued his onslaught, Time Square became a war zone, fires were erupting from exploding cars, buildings were starting to crumble all around and the sounds of peoples screaming was almost deafening. It was never ending. Every time a piece of debris fell towards the ground, Pete would manage to catch it just in the nick of time, saving another group of people as he did so. Spider-Man isn't invincible though. He get's injured. He gets tired. How much longer will it take before it finally becomes too much? Before he can't carry on anymore?

Suddenly and without warning Times Square and the surrounding streets were plunged into darkness. The only source of light coming from the small fires dotted around. I could only just about make out Max, standing up high above and holding two electrical cables to his chest. He was recharging.

Just as quickly as the lights went off they came back on again, the sudden surge of power causing the many glass screens wrapped around the street to fall and crash on the ground around us. People were screaming, running in any direction they could to get as far away from the scene as possible. I just stood there though. Where did Pete go? What happened to Pete?

A deep, rumbling cry broke me out of my internal worry and when I turned to find the source my questions were answered. Max was lying on the floor being flooded in water from a fire hose, the person dousing him with it, being none other than Spider-Man himself. Typical Pete that even in all the chaos he'd managed to grab a fireman's helmet and put it on.

"That's enough. Mike. Big John. Nice work fellas. Pleasure doing business with you," Pete said to the firemen who had helped him bring Max down.

"Pete?" I called out after he'd aided in detaining Max. The scene calming down considerably now he had gone, and safe in the knowledge that nobody could hear us.

"I thought I told you to stay at the park?" Peter asked after seeing me standing there.

"When have I ever listened to you?"

"Touché."

"Are you ok?" I worried, a lone tear slowly making its way down my cheek. I had a feeling I knew how this was going to go.

"I'm fine. Lauren?" Pete said in a whisper, his gloved hand gripping on to his head.

"Yeah?"

"I think you should go on the date with Harry."

"Because of this?" I trembled.

"Because of all of this," he gestured to the fiery rubble around us.

"This isn't fair Pete. None of this is fair," I cried, taking off his jacket and handing it back to him along with his rucksack.

"I know, but it's the way it is now. Spider-Man is who I have to be. Peter Parker doesn't exist anymore." God, I wish I could see his face right now.

"He does to me."

Without giving him time to say anything else, I turned on my heel and made to dart away as quick as I could. I had to keep it together. I could feel him watching me, his eyes burning into the back of my head. I then realised something, something I couldn't let slide.

"Pete?"

"Yeah?"

"The guy. His name is Max Dhillon. He works at Oscorp. He's a good person. Please try and help him."

"I will."

* * *

 **Ahhhhhhhh, I loved writing that sooooo much. I know, it's not what you all wanted. Lauren and Pete are still broke up. I'm all for the love, and ultimately this is a Pete and Lauren fic, so hold on. It'll be worth it. I promise.**

 **Please review as normal, and don't forget I will give a shout out to one of my faves at the beginning of the next chapter.**

 **If you have wattpad then please give me a follow by searching LondonaLozzy. I upload all of my stories on to there as well. I love it because it's a great way to communicate with my readers and I also love being able to post vids, pics, gifs etc. It's a whole load of fun over there. Trust me.**


	8. Chapter 8

**AUTHOR NOTE –**

Hi strangers,

My reviewer shout out for chapter 7 goes to... **queenglitch**. I am so happy that you love how I write Lauren and I hope that you continue to read and review as the story continues. Thank you so much for all of your support and your amazing comments.

Let's not waste any more time now guys, we've got a first date to get to.

 **Talk Me Down – Chapter 8**

* * *

The morning after the night before I awoke for the first time in months thinking of someone other than Peter Parker. Max had haunted my dreams all night long. I couldn't fathom what could have possibly happened to him to make him the way he was last night. He could shoot electricity from his hands for Christ's sake. There was something seriously sinister going on. My bet, Oscorp had something to do with it. Just like old times.

Aunt Penny was currently in Ireland, enjoying daily strolls through the Wicklow Mountains just outside Dublin. As soon as she'd seen what was going down in Times Square she was on the phone to me, knowing from a conversation the day before with May that I was meeting Pete that night not far from there. We were on the phone for practically the whole night, me trying to convince her not to come home, that I was ok and that I didn't want her trip ruined for no reason. I literally had to use every ounce of my persuasive talents to keep her away. I could sense something was going to happen, something big. I didn't want her anywhere near when it did.

"Honey, are you really sure you don't need me to come back?"

"Aunt P, I already told you. I was nowhere near Times Square last night. Pete bailed on me."

"What do you mean he bailed on you?"

"He just had to...um, swing by somewhere else and it took longer he thought it would." Rubbish Lauren, just rubbish.

"Very convincing sweetie." Do I sense a hint of sarcasm?

"Now listen to me, and listen good?" Aunt Penny carried on with a push, complete seriousness in her tone.

"I'm all ears."

"I'm going to trust you on this one occasion, but if anything else happens, and I mean anything, then I am coming straight back to New York. Do you understand?"

"Aunt Penny..."

"Do you understand?"

"I understand."

Later on that day I was getting ready for my date with Harry. If I was being totally honest with myself then I'd say it wasn't really a date that I wanted to go on. Harry was a really good guy, don't get me wrong. It's just that after the whole Pete thing last night and finding out that they were friends it just felt even more wrong than it already did. I had to do this though. I had to try. If I couldn't be with Pete, then why not Harry? I owed it to myself to at least give it a go. I had to prove that I could move on.

At 6.30 sharp Harry came and picked me up in his distinctive Rolls Royce Phantom Limo. Wow, what a car. He was the perfect gentleman. He opened the door for me, held my purse as I got in, and made sure I was comfortable. He even arranged drinks and then music to be played on the journey over to the restaurant.

I was already being treated like a princess, but then we pulled up at Eleven Madison Park, the most exquisite and exclusive restaurant in New York City. You literally had to book a year in advance to get a shot at a table. Yet here I was. This was like dream date stuff here. Harry was pulling out the big guns.

"Harry you shouldn't have gone to all of this trouble. It must have cost you so much money," I worried as we got started on our main meal, me choosing the roast duck and Harry the aged beef. I really didn't deserve to be this spoiled. The day before I was with my ex boyfriend, telling him in an ideal world that I wanted to be with him. Now I am sitting here on a date with his friend, a friend who is treating me like an angel. I couldn't be further from that and it just made me feel uncomfortable. This whole thing was incredible, everything he'd done was. It just felt wrong.

"Lauren, you've been through a lot and if I'm honest I'm feeling a bit guilty for not being there for you when you hurt your hand the other day."

"Harry, don't be silly. My hand is f..."

"Are you not enjoying yourself or something? Is that the problem?" Where did that come from?

"Harry, I don't understand?"

"You've been on edge since the moment we sat down. You're here but your mind is somewhere else. I don't get what more I have to do." Harry gritted his teeth, leaning forward and clutching on to the corners of the table as he spoke. It was like he was trying to hold back. Hold back what though? This was just weird. I've never seen him act like this before.

"You don't have to do anything more. This is amazing. I've just...I don't know what's wrong with me."

"Is it Pete?" Wait, what?

"How do you know about Pete?"

"I met up with him a few weeks ago, just after we started seeing each other. We got on to the subject of girls and he showed me a picture on his phone of his ex. My shock when I discovered it was you."

"Harry, believe me, I didn't know you were friends until yesterday."

"How did you find out yesterday?" Shit, Lauren. Foot in mouth comes to mind. This date was taking a sharp decline, that's for sure.

"He was the friend that I met up with at the..."

"So you lied to me?" He almost shouted in interruption. It was even to the level that fellow diners started to glance our way.

"Technically I didn't lie. He is my friend."

"He's your ex boyfriend Lauren."

"I know. It's just...god Harry I don't know. Maybe this whole date thing was a bad idea." I know what I'd done was kind of wrong. I should have been honest with Harry about who I was seeing. But wait, should I? I mean, he's not technically my boyfriend.

"Cheque please," Harry muttered in annoyance to one of the passing waiters. He didn't give me any kind of response to my last words. I'm kind of glad though to be honest. I'm not sure I'd like what he would say. Not now with the way he's acting.

"Harry, I'm so sorry," I sincerely voiced on the very awkward car journey home after we'd settled up at Eleven.

"No, I'm sorry Lauren. I overreacted about Peter. I was just disappointed that you didn't seem as in to the date as I wanted you to be." Thank god, he'd calmed down.

"Harry, it was perfect. Really, I mean it. You just need to find a girl who deserves it more than I do, a girl who isn't a completely useless nutcase like me."

"You're not a nutcase Lauren. You just need to work out what it is, or who it is you want. I think we both have a pretty good idea," Harry half smiled, nudging me with his shoulder as we pulled up outside my apartment building.

"You're amazing you know that? Most guys would have just dumped me at the side of the road."

"Well, I'm not most guys," Harry answered sincerely, helping me out of the car and then walking me up to my front door.

"Harry, are you sure you're ok? You just seemed a bit out of it at the restaurant. I've never seen you act like that before. I could put it down to my actions but you're shaking and clammy too. Did you notice?"

Now in the bright light of the hall I could really see him properly. We weren't on the dark street, or shielded by flattering restaurant lighting. His face was totally clear to me. His eyes were blood shot, his forehead sweaty, and his hands continuously trembled.

"I noticed. I'm probably just um, coming down with something."

"Maybe you should see a doctor?"

"It's ok. I have an idea how to fix it. I'll be back to normal before you can say Spider-Man," he laughed, fidgeting as he did so.

"If you're sure? Just let me know if you need anything ok?"

"Oh, I'll definitely keep that in mind."

After that, Harry gave me a forced smile and then turned to head down the stairs. I couldn't just leave it like this. He hadn't long lost his Dad, now he's been knocked back by a girl. No wonder he flipped out back at dinner. God knows I've done it enough times. He just needed someone, someone to look out for him. Yeah I'd realised that trying to date Harry wasn't the right way to go, doesn't mean I don't want him in my life though.

"Harry?" I called out over the landing just before he disappeared out of the door.

"Yeah?" He shouted back, looking up at me with his piercing blue eyes.

"Friends?"

"You know it Princess."

* * *

 **I know this chapter is a lot shorter than my others but I wanted to at least give you something. I wonder what is wrong with Harry? Something is definitely up. How long before Lauren is dragged into his plans? Next chapter too soon?**

 **Please review as normal, and don't forget I will give a shout out to one of my faves at the beginning of the next chapter.**

 **If you have wattpad then please give me a follow by searching LondonaLozzy. I upload all of my stories on to there as well. I love it because it's a great way to communicate with my readers and I also love being able to post vids, pics, gifs etc. It's a whole load of fun over there. Trust me.**


	9. Chapter 9

**AUTHOR NOTE –**

My reviewer shout out for chapter 8 goes to... **ellabella2000**. I can't believe you read both stories in one sitting. Wow! I hope you're sleeping better now and that was a one off. Thank you so much for all of your support and I hope you like this next chapter.

 **Talk Me Down – Chapter 9**

 _When life leaves you high and dry  
I'll be at your door tonight, if you need help, if you need help  
I'll shut down the city lights  
I'll lie, cheat, I'll beg and bribe, to make you well, to make you well_

 _When enemies are at your door_

 _I'll carry you away from war, if you need help, if you need help  
Your hope dangling by a string  
I'll share in your suffering, to make you well, to make you well_

 _Give me reasons to believe,  
That you would do the same for me_

 _And I would do it for you, for you  
Baby I'm not moving on  
I love you long after you're gone  
For you, for you  
You would never sleep alone  
I love you long after you're gone  
And long after you're gone, gone, gone_

Jogging through the park, Phillips Phillip's singing away through the headphones as I ran, I suddenly realised that I'd forgotten to do something, something Aunt Penny had requested of me earlier that morning.

After hearing all about May's nurse training from me, just after the whole Times Square stuff went down she decided to buy her a present whilst she was still in Ireland. It was a beautiful four leaf clover pendant, a symbol of luck. Aunt Pen had it shipped to my apartment so that I could wrap and deliver it myself. It arrived yesterday and my lovely Aunt wanted to make sure it got to her friend as soon as possible. The downside for me was that it might mean a run in, a run in with a certain Parker boy that I'd been trying to avoid, to get over.

The whole day I managed to find ways to put off my little trip to the Parker residence. I went for my run, did a bit of shopping, cleaned the apartment. By 3pm I'd run out of things to do. I turned to binge watching The Vampire Diaries and re-runs of Friends. After a couple of hours I could practically feel the pendant burning into me. I could sense it from its place on the dining table. I just needed to get it over and done with. There was no way I could stay out of his path forever.

Here goes.

"Lauren sweetie?" May Parker greeted with a smile after I knocked on her door that evening.

I wonder if he's here? "Hi May, can I come in?"

"Don't be silly. You don't need to ask. Come inside."

Venturing into the hallway where I'd been so many times, I made a point of doing a quick scan for any signs of Pete. So far it looked like I was in the clear.

"Excuse the mess. It's just with my job and now the training on top I barely have time to think, never mind cleaning and tidying the washing. It just seems to be getting on top of me a bit." Come to think of it, she did look tired.

"Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Oh no honey, you're a guest. Now what can I do for you?"

Reaching into my back pack, I pulled out the wrapped jewellery box and held it out in front of me. "This is for you."

"For me? It's not my birthday." She looked seriously confused, bless her.

"Oh I know. I hope you don't mind, but I told Aunt Pen about your training and she wanted to send you a little token for good luck."

"Silly woman. She shouldn't have brought me anything."

Taking the gift out of my hand, she was quick to unwrap it and then take a peek inside. "Oh my gosh, it's beautiful."

"It seems pretty appropriate. Auntie Pen sent it all the way from Dublin."

"Extra special then," May giggled with a grin.

"Oh, of course."

Before I knew it a whole hour had passed. After fastening the pendant and chain around May's neck we'd got to chatting. I'd taken with me some pictures from Aunt Penny's trip I thought May would like to see. We spent ages looking at them, trawling through the stacks of images from her adventures and wondering what she was up to now. I didn't realise how much I actually missed my Aunt until I was there spending time with May. They were so similar, so alike. I should spend more time with May, whether it meant seeing Peter or not.

Once we were fully caught up I refused to leave until I'd helped May with the tidying, cooking and the cleaning. She went on the whole time about how lazy Pete was, how he didn't pull his weight. I knew different, obviously, so like I always do I made loads of random excuses for him and helped her myself.

"You have no idea what a difference this has made Lauren. I might actually get to bed at a decent hour now," May smiled tiredly.

I stood in the kitchen, leaning against the counter whilst she washed up, her arms covered in bubbles. "I'll let you get off to bed then. Is there anything else you want me to do before I go?"

"I don't suppose you could take the clean laundry upstairs for me?"

"Sure, no problem."

"Thanks sweetie. Peter's clothes are on the top. Just put them on his bed. He'll put them away later."

I've got to go in his room? I've not been in there since before we broke up. Oh crap.

Trudging up the stairs and mentally slapping myself in the face for putting myself in this position I decided it was best to just get it done and go home.

My first stop was May's room where I neatly placed all of her clothes on the top of her cabinet. Next came Pete's stuff. The small pile consisting of jeans, t-shirts and a grey hoodie. Hey, I brought him that.

When it was time, I didn't stop. I just rushed in, placed the clothes on the bed and didn't even let myself look around. Well that was the plan.

As I turned to go out, something caught my eye, something pretty damn massive. It covered his entire wall. It was post it notes, maps, random words, articles. There were arrows pointing from one thing to another, Oscorp and his Dad being represented numerous times and in various ways. In the middle of it all, there was a piece of paper that had the word 'ROOSEVELT' scribbled in huge letters. What was he looking for?

To top all of that, there were pictures, lots of pictures. Pictures of Pete and his parents, Pete and his Aunt and Uncle. But mostly, covering nearly everything, were pictures of me. Pictures of me and Pete together. He hadn't moved on. As much as he wanted to pretend he had, he just couldn't do it. Much like me.

Trying to take everything all in and work out what all of this was for I realised I must have been up there for a while. May was going to question where I was soon. I had to get out of there.

I reached inside my back pocket and grabbed my cell, taking pictures of as much as I could before I walked out of the room. After seeing how much Pete was dealing with, how much he still seemed to rely on me, even if just in picture form, I'd come to the conclusion that I had to help him. I had to help him work out whatever this was. It must be important.

"May? Do you mind not telling Pete I was in his room? I don't know how he'd feel about it after everything," I asked, finally making my way down the stairs and desperate to get home so I could start going through the photographs.

"I doubt he'd mind sweetie."

"Even so. Can we just keep it between us?

"Of course."

Once I was home the first thing I did was upload all of the pictures I'd taken on my phone to my computer. A lot of them weren't clear enough to see with much detail, but there were a few things I could pick out.

There was a random subway token taped to the wall, an article about Richard Parker's research. Next to the 'ROOSEVELT' sign was a little note on Oscorp headed paper. It was in messy handwriting but I was pretty sure it said 'Roosevelt, 2pm'. From some of the post it notes scattered around, Pete was questioning it as well. What does this mean? What is it for? How do I move on from her? Wait, what?

"For god's sake Pete," I voiced to myself with a sigh in my quiet living room. I wish he knew he didn't have to move on from me. I didn't want him to. Why couldn't everything just go back to how it was?

After that little discovery I decided I'd had enough for one night. I needed to give myself a break, get some sleep. That's what I was hoping for anyway. It turned out I barely got even an hour. My brain just wouldn't shut down, words and images floating around in my head. Is it like this for Peter every night? No wonder he's a mess.

Waking up on a new day my plan was to concentrate on this whole Roosevelt thing. Try and work out what it was. I had a shower, some breakfast, went for my daily run. It was really a way to clear my head, get back into the zone so I could do some proper detective work.

Once I was back in the apartment and logged into the web I started looking. I typed in Roosevelt which obviously came up with millions of results. Then Roosevelt paired with New York which narrowed the search down a little bit but not much. I really needed to start thinking. I remembered the little note I spotted in the photograph, the one that mentioned 2pm. Was it a place? Somewhere to meet at 2pm? It had to be. With that in mind I did a fresh search. Hotels, museums, parks. It all just seemed too obvious. Nothing stood out.

Last year when Pete and I found his Dad's briefcase in the basement and discovered the hidden compartment that held all of his cross species research, it ended up being the beginning of everything. If I'd learned one thing about Richard Parker it was that he was very protective of his work, of his research, his discoveries. He was secretive and he liked to keep things hidden.

With that in mind and whilst looking on Google earth at a map of The Roosevelt Hotel, right next to the Waldorf Astoria, it all clicked. Secrets, it was all about secrets.

Back in High School Art everyone was given an artist from a different genre that they had to research and write a paper on. I got Andy Warhol. His work wasn't really my thing so I kind of skimmed over the actual pieces and concentrated a bit more on the life and times of the man. What made him tick, what inspired him to create the art that he did.

He spent a lot of time in New York, was born here, lived here, and partied here. It was the partying that lead to my discovery, my realisation. Andy Warhol, a party, Roosevelt and a secret are what linked everything. They had to be.

During my research into Warhol I read about a party he threw in 1965, the 'Underground Party' he called it. It took place in a secret subway tunnel, a stretch simply known as Track 61. President Roosevelt used to use the track to inconspicuously get into the Waldorf Astoria without being seen by the press and the public. It's said that his limo would literally drive out of the carriage and straight into a garage that took him up to ground level. As of now, that tunnel, that track and that carriage still exist. They're frozen in time and closed off to the public. It was just another forgotten piece of history in a huge city. Not many people even know it's there, and any public access to it would have been closed off years ago. It seemed like the perfect place if you wanted to keep something hidden, wanted to keep something a secret.

Was that it? Had I really worked something out? Thank god to my tutor who picked Warhol for me that's all I can say. I would have been clueless otherwise. Turns out sometimes those seemingly pointless assignments do actually help you out in the future. In ways you'd never expect.

Starting to doubt myself and thinking maybe I'd made a mountain out of a molehill, I took a quick glance over my pictures again, the pictures of Peter's wall. Right in the corner, a small shining symbol stood out amongst everything suddenly. Something I thought before was totally insignificant. It was what proved that my theory was correct. It was a token. A token for the subway.

 **Please review as normal, and don't forget I will give a shout out to one of my faves at the beginning of the next chapter.**

 **If you have wattpad then please give me a follow by searching LondonaLozzy. I upload all of my stories on to there as well. I love it because it's a great way to communicate with my readers. I also love being able to post vids, pics, gifs etc. It's a whole load of fun over there. Come and join me.**


	10. Chapter 10

"Come in," Harry called from inside his office as I knocked on the door one morning. I'd woken up to a frantic message from him asking if I'd come to see him and talk. He sounded off, weird. Not much different to how he did a few nights before at dinner.

"Hey Harry," I called with a smile as I let myself in, wanting to gage his mood before I took it any further. "You sounded strange on the phone. Is everything ok?"

Taking a seat in front of Harry, sat quietly at his desk, I knew straight away something was wrong. Again, like the other night, his face was clammy, his eyes were bloodshot, his hands were shaking.

"I've got to tell you something."

Leaning forward I took one of Harry's hands in mine and searched his face. Whatever news this was had to be big. "What is it? Harry, you're scaring me."

"I'm dying."

To say I was shocked was an understatement. He didn't beat around the bush. He was blunt. To the point. How could Harry be dying?

"What? How?"

"It's the same condition my father had."

Standing up and moving around to Harry's side of the desk, I threw my arms around him and held on for dear life, not getting much response in return.

After everything that happened the last few months, Harry had been a god send. He'd been the perfect distraction. A friend who helped me forget all of my own drama. He didn't deserve this.

"Is there anything that can be done?"

"The Doctors say there is nothing they can do. It's just a matter of time." God, he looked so desperate.

"I'm so sorry, Harry. I don't know what to say."

"I do. I know what you can say. Say you'll help me."

"I don't understand."

Reaching for a remote next to his computer keyboard and holding it up to the monitor attached to the wall, Harry loaded a video file, physically moving me in front of it so I could watch. "Just watch this. It's the answer."

The image that came up on screen confused me even further. It was Harry's Dad in a lab at Oscorp, another man also present at his side, "Is that Richard Parker?"

"Yeah. Just watch"

 _"You're looking at the worlds first human, spider hybrids..."_ Norman Osborn began.

 _"Our hope is to extract the venom from their glands and turn that into a cure, an agent that heals diseased cells,"_ Peter's Dad continued.

As the tape carried on, I could feel Harry's eyes burning into me. I didn't understand what this had to do with me. How did I come into any of it?

 _"...and if I can be cured, imagine what this can do for patients with Alzheimer's or even cancer?"_

Abruptly the video stopped, Harry jumping to his feet with frantic enthusiasm. "It never got to human trials. Fourteen years of research and nothing to show for it, except for this."

Reaching over to a newspaper on the table, Harry took it in his trembling hands and held it up directly in front of me.

"Harry, I don't understand," I said with shaking breath, the image of Spider-Man on the cover grabbing my attention and setting the alarm bells ringing.

"Spider-Man. He was bitten by one of those hybrids and it worked," he started to shout, scaring me enough with his sudden outburst that I took a nervous step back. "I don't know how, and I don't know why, but he can do everything else that a spider can, including self heal."

"Wha...what are you saying Harry?"

"I need to find him. I need his blood." Over my dead body.

"What do you mean you need his blood? Do you know how crazy this sounds?"

"This could save my life," Harry shook on his feet, his eyes boring into mine as I got more nervous by the second.

"But it might not Harry. It might not work. It might not be as simple as that. You know what happened to Dr Connors right?"

"But he was weak. This is me, Lauren."

How do I get out of this? How do I talk him out of this? "I'm pretty sure he's not gonna be down for people tapping at his vein."

"WELL, IF YOU'RE SO BOTHERED, WHY DON'T YOU TELL ME WHERE HE IS AND I CAN ASK HIM MYSELF."

Ok, this has gone way too far. I was seriously freaking out right now. This wasn't Harry. The person screaming in my face wasn't him, wasn't my friend. What was happening to him?

"Look, Lauren I'm sorry. I'm just desperate ok," Harry calmed after seeing how much he'd scared me with his outburst.

"What makes you think I know where he is anyway?"

"You know him. He saved you that night at Oscorp."

"He saves a lot of people Harry. It doesn't mean I have his home address."

As the atmosphere grew more and more tense I knew I needed to get out of there. I had to get away. I had to warn Pete. If there was ever a good reason to get back in contact this was it.

"You're doing exactly what Peter did."

"What? What do you mean?"

"He takes Spider-Man's photograph. I asked for his help too, but he turned me away. I figured it was jealousy over us. Turns out I can't trust you either."

"Harry, I want to help you. Really I do. But not like this..."

"THERE'S NO OTHER WAY."

Before I had a chance to react, Harry had picked up a vase of flowers from the middle of the table, pulled his arm back and thrown it in anger at the wall behind me. At first I was just shocked, but as the seconds ticked by and I began to feel a stinging sensation on my cheek I knew that I'd been hit.

Reaching up to my face, I winced when my fingers came into contact with a sticky, warm substance just under my left eye, "Lauren, I'm so sorry," Harry trembled when he realised what he'd done.

"Stay back," I teared up in fear, grabbing my things and rushing towards the door.

"No, wait. Please, just hear me out."

"Hear you out? Hear you out? Harry, you just threw a glass vase at me. Sorry, if I'm not in the mood to hang around anymore." Now I was the one that was angry.

"I'm sorry. I don't know why I reacted that way. I'm just desperate. Please Lauren. You've got to help me."

Not giving me a chance to get away, Harry threw himself at me, gripping onto my shoulders for dear life and breaking down in fitful sobs.

"Look. I'll try and find Spider-Man. I will."

"Really?"

"Just don't get your hopes up."

After Harry had finally calmed down and let me go, I ran as fast as I could out of the building, my cell phone gripped tightly in my hand as I tearfully scrolled through the numbers in search of one in particular.

Hailing a cab and holding a Kleenex to my bloody cheek at the same time, I tried desperately to keep it together. In the last half an hour I'd found out my friend was dying, my ex suddenly had a target on his back and I had been making promises I had no intention of keeping. There was no way I was handing over Pete, not even to Harry.

With the cab slowly moving through the traffic on its way to my apartment, I decided now was the time to bite the bullet. Pete had kept his distance from me, broken up with me to try and keep me safe. Now I had proof that it wasn't working, that I got caught up in things no matter the lengths he went to.

"Hello," Peter tiredly said into the phone after picking up my call on the third or fourth ring.

"Pete?" My voice broke in response. I didn't realise how much I needed to hear him. How unsettled I had felt until that very moment.

"Lauren? What is it? What's wrong?" It didn't take a genius to work out something had happened, my sobs through the phone being enough to prove that.

"Can you meet me at my apartment please? I'll explain when you get there."

"Sure, sure. I'm already on my way."

Hanging up my cell without so much as a goodbye, it wasn't long before the cab pulled up outside my building. I even had to convince the driver that I hadn't been attacked, and didn't need to go to the hospital.

I'd literally been in the apartment for two minutes before there was a loud continuous bang on the front door. "Lauren? It's me. It's Pete. Let me in," he called frantically from the hallway.

Slowly, and nervously I walked through the hall, uncertain of what his reaction would be when he saw the state of me. It turned out the cut on my cheek was worse than I originally thought. At first I was sure I'd just nicked it, it turned out it was actually pretty deep, a long line of blood now running down one side of my face. Just another scar to add to the collection.

Reaching the door, I took a moment to take a look through the peephole and better prepare myself. Pete looked like he'd literally jumped out of bed and flown here, that's how dishevelled he looked. To be fair, he probably had. Pacing the floor, and gripping tightly on to his hair, it was pretty clear he was going out of his mind.

Taking a deep breath I unbolted the door and barely had time to open it before Pete was making his way in.

When he caught sight of me, saw the blood stained cloth that I still held on my face, it was like the air had been sucked out of the room. The last time I saw him that angry, being when he found me in the tunnels after Connor's had taken me hostage.

"What the hell?" He physically trembled, gently placing his palms on either side of my face and removing the tissue so he could get a proper look at the damage.

"It looks worse that it is," I whispered, hardly being able to look at him without breaking down. All I'd wanted for months was this, to be this close to him again, to have him look at me like I was the most precious thing in the world. I just wished it wasn't under these circumstances.

"How did this happen? Who did this?"

"Pete..."

"Who did it Lauren?" He spat with gritted teeth, his eyes red with tears and his expression filled with anger.

There's a difference between Peter and Harry. I had seen both of them angry today, both of them at the ends of their tether. With Harry I'd been afraid, scared. With Pete I felt safe. In fact, I felt safer than ever before. He'd never hurt me.

"Harry. Harry did it."

Walking me over to my couch and grabbing the first aid box from the cupboard, Pete began to clean me up as I replayed everything that happened, everything that Harry had said and done.

Pete didn't say a word. Didn't flinch. Didn't react at all. His sole focus was my cheek, my face. It was all he could concentrate on.

"What are we gonna do?" I wondered aloud as Peter finished up and continued to sit quietly at the side of me. I knew him well enough to know that he was only being silent because he was in an internal battle with himself. He was working out in his own head how to move forward, how to react. The only tell tale sign that he was even functioning being the way he was now gripping on to my hands tightly.

"You're going to stay away from Harry. That's what you're gonna do?"

"But he's my friend Pete. He needs me..."

"He's the reason I've just spent the last 20 minutes cleaning blood off of you. Feel lucky I'm not over there right now punching his lights out."

"Pete, calm down."

"Calm down? Calm down? Lauren I got woken up to you crying down the phone, and am met with you cut and bleeding. How the hell do you expect me to calm down?"

"Look, I get it. I get why you're angry," I said,

getting to my feet and reaching out for Pete who was now walking back and forth across the living room in frustration. "He just freaked out for a second. He's desperate. You spoke to him Pete. He's dying. He's just trying to find ways of saving himself."

"Oh, and he's going to do that by throwing things at you?"

"Of course not. He's intending to do it by getting to Spider-Man. Pete, I'm freaking out ok. My cheek will heal. It'll be fine. If Harry finds out the truth about you then you can't take that back. Desperate people do desperate things. Friend or not, if he thinks for even a second that your blood will cure him, who's to say he won't start using using you as his own personal blood bank?"

Taking in what I'd said, Pete ended up calming down considerably. We sat again on the couch, Pete grabbing hold of my hands and placing them in his lap, "That's not going to happen. I'll find a way to fix it."

"How? How are we going to fix this Pete?"

"I just need to know where to start looking."

As Pete said that it was like a light bulb went off above my head. Maybe I already had the answer.

"Did May mention that I came over to your house the other day?"

"No," Pete frowned in confusion.

"I had to drop something over for my Aunt Penny. Anyway, whilst I was there May asked me to take some laundry up to your room."

The look that came on his face was proof enough that he knew what I was hinting at. I'd seen "the wall".

"Yes Peter. I saw everything. I saw the articles, the reports, the pictures...the notes."

"Ok, let me explain..."

"There's no need. It was pretty clear whatever you were trying to find out was important."

"What have you done?"

"I did some digging of my own, and I know where we need to start looking."


End file.
